Proclaiming the gospel. . .an inconvenience?

A couple of weeks ago as I was trying to shut my mind down from paper-writing mode to sleep mode, a bunch of totally unrelated questions were popping in and out of my mind. Then a sudden thought struck me. Why is it that we view sharing the gospel as an inconvenience? Why is it something we put on a to-do list, constantly letting other items push it aside?

Thoughts similar to these were flooding my mind as I was pondering the many opportunities I have had this semester to purposefully go out with church friends and witness--opportunities that I was unable to take advantage of because of my conflicting school/work schedule.

Yes, being a bold witness has never been my strength--but it is so rewarding when I do share the Good News. God can use even me, a finite human with so many faults and fears, to impact His kingdom. I may not have learned a whole bunch in China--I still can't speak fluent Chinese--but the fact that God can use even me came through loud and clear.

But, it is so easy to get bogged down with life--to think that one must certainly put aside a chunk of time specifically for sharing the gospel. I think many of us tend to miss golden opportunities right before our eyes because of this.

Sharing the gospel should not be considered something we have to set aside time to do, for every minute of or lives should be committed to proclaiming the gospel of Christ by how we live. It is not another item to be checked off a list, but an ongoing mission. It is not an inconvenience--it is a calling, and a privilege. If you're a mom, share the gospel with your children--teach them the scriptures; if you are single, tell your friends or professor about Christ--share, encourage, edify; if you have a fulltime job, share with your coworkers. Every moment is an opportunity--an opportunity not to be missed.

We cannot go on living as if nothing existed outside the world of our daily lives. Our purpose in life cannot be solely to satisfy self. God must be the center of our being, our lives--without the gospel of Christ, my own life would be meaningless. The gospel touches every area of our lives, not just whether or not you are going to heaven or hell. Everything must be for the fame of Jesus. It is for Him alone I live. So therefore, I will not push the truth off any longer--I will take advantage of every moment given to me, for this life is not my own.

Trials

The study of James us girls at church have been doing has turned out to be so very timely for me (God usually works that way doesn't He?). By the end of this third week, we will have studied up through James 1:16. There have been some really heavy trials I have recently gone through (and continue to go through), and James is so applicable. I have found James particularly encouraging where it addresses trials...and the purpose of trials. Trials are to prove our faith, producing patience and spiritual growth. For this reason, we can rejoice in the trials...knowing that God is at work. So often though, I allow myself to get depressed and weighed down by care from the trials God has placed in my life...sometimes they aren't even mine but others that I care about. When I let myself fall into that state, it is 100% harder to count my trials all joy. So, on Sunday...I wrote down a list of my "trials," and prayed that I would purposefully be able to count it all joy. It's amazing how uplifting in spirit that can be. No, the trials haven't gone away and I don't think lightly of them, but there is an inner rest in clinging to my Rock--Christ, knowing that these trials are to bring me closer to Him.

Yesterday, my pastor said something that struck me as so true. When the shepherd finds a lost sheep, he has to throw him down, bind his feet, sling him over his shoulders, and carry him home. If he doesn't take the lost sheep back to the fold, the sheep will die (because of stupidity, not being in a group, etc.). So it is with our heavenly shepherd. Sometimes He has to throw us down, bind our feet, pick us up, and carry us home...and all the time we yell at Him because it's painful. We have no idea what He's doing. Yet He is doing the most loving and kind thing a shepherd could.

So let your heart be encouraged!

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."--James 1:2-4