I received these questions on a Wednesday night back at the beginning of the year.
How are we suppose to share our faith with others if we are struggling with our faith?
Honestly- (1john 1:7-10) You can be honest with others that you are struggling. There’s no reason to pretend to be what you are not. God’s love is much bigger than any of our doubts. I met a girl once that was living an alternative lifestyle. There was a lot of confusion in the situation, but she was still trying to understand what God’s word had to say about that lifestyle. She wasn’t there yet. Interestingly enough, she brought people to church with her every time she came, and she was constantly telling people about Jesus at her job. Now I didn’t agree with her on the lifestyle choices, but there’s nothing in scripture that says we should wait until we’re a perfect angel to begin to share Jesus with others.
Take them on your journey (Romans 7:14-20)
I, personally, have a lot of trust in the power of God. We call that the sovereignty of God. I have a lot of trust in it. For someone to say “ I am struggling with my faith, so how could I begin to share faith with others”, it may be the most loving and trusting thing you can do, to take them on the faith journey with you. Let them see the raw stuff. Let them see when you’re doubting, but let them see what God does at the end of it too. The most powerful thing that your friends could see is for God to do a miracle; to do amazing things in your life.
How do we share our faith with others while trying not to be insensitive?
Love
(1 Corinthians 13)
I think this one is really important. I think Christians should be known as the most desired people for someone that’s not a believer in Jesus to want to be around. I mean seriously, if we really understand the grace and love of God, why wouldn’t someone want to be around us?
2. Serve
(Philippians 2)
This one is important too. Now I don’t necessarily buy in to the idea that we always have to earn someone’s trust to be able to speak the truth to them. I don’t think that is right, but people know when you’re real. People can tell when you’re being fake. The best way to show someone that you genuinely love and care for them is to serve them. That’s huge. That’s a huge statement of “I care about you because I’m gonna serve you”. That’s a lot of what Philippians is talking about with the whole idea of Jesus and humility and servanthood; all those things. That’s the way you do it!
3. Don’t mistake speaking the truth for insensitivity or “a lack of love”. That is only what culture teaches.
(Ephesians 4:14-16)
You cannot separate God‘s love from God‘s justice. God established a standard or in Genesis 1; that standard continues through the Bible, and that standard continues today. I like to call that the order of God. We cannot get around it. We must speak the truth because we are a people of truth. Truth is what we believe. God is truth. We speak the truth in love, but we cannot be deceived into thinking that it is only loving when you just don’t say anything, to just give in, or to not stand up for what God says is true. You have to have both.