So often, we all fall into the trap of doubting our abilities and our influence. If we wallow in these doubts long enough, we may even begin to doubt our motivations. Nowhere does this self-doubt play out more than in our Christian walks. We become scared to talk to people about Jesus or to correct a brother or sister in their sin. We become scared to speak out against evil or to become too involved in things.
Satan loves it when we buy into these doubts. As long as we are scared, we are more likely to stand still and do nothing. This state of non-action gives Satan more and more freedom to exhert his will on the world and eventually in our own hearts. So how does this self-doubt look in our lives?
#1- No one will listen to me
First of all, you are going to encounter people who will not listen; that is just a fact. If you speak out though, you have a better chance of getting someone’s attention. Not speaking up because you might not be heard is like a baby who will not try to walk because they might fall down; neither one will get very far. You may be rejected a dozen times, but you may also be planting the seed for the next person who comes along, or even for the next time you speak to that person.
When we refuse to tell others about Jesus we are still expressing something. Staying quiet expresses our shame of the gospel, and Paul tells us not to be ashamed (Romans 1: 16-17). When we don’t speak out against sin, we are expressing our acceptance of those sins, which is just as bad as participating in them ourselves (Romans 1:32).
As Christians we cannot keep silent about things such as fornication or the murder of countless innocent lives. We cannot keep silent about unrighteousness or God will turn us and those who practice such things over to our unrighteousness. * Read Romans 1
#2- I am only one person, what can I do?
You can do plenty. If you refuse to fight past your doubt, you can become one that denies Christ and forfeit your soul. If you allow those you love to continue in sin and wickedness, you can forfeit their souls. If you do nothing, you can continue to call God a liar since God tells us we can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13).
Or, you can stand up and speak out. You can teach others and fulfill your role of spreading the gospel to all nations (Luke 24:47; Mark 16:15-16; Matthew 28:19-20). You can be a voice of reason, bringing the wisdom of God, into a world full of wickedness and foolishness (Romans 1: 20-25).
#3- I can’t really do much, how can God use me?
It is amazing to me how many people forget what gifts they have when it comes to living the Christian life. We seem to want to separate our Christianity from everything else. That is how you get people who know they have a gift for something like organization, saying they have nothing to bring to the table for God.
Where do you think you got that gift in the first place? And, what purpose do you think He meant that gift for?
1 Corinthians 12 tells us that God gave us each different gifts to be used to help the body of Christ. We each have our own unique way that we can help spread the gospel, and most of us know what we are good at. If you know this, then you know what you can bring to the table. You cannot separate your life into compartments.
You are either a Christian, or you are not. If you are a Christian, use the gifts you use every day for the work of God. All aspects of your life are His. And remember that God gives us His Holy Spirit who will give us the words to say when needed. We don’t have to rely on ourselves, but on God (Romans 5:1-5).
#4- Isn’t it the preacher’s job to teach others about God anyway?
Yes. It is also your job. Romans 8:30 tells us that He has called us. He desires us to take action. What action? to declare Jesus who was crucified, buried and rose from the dead. To declare Jesus whom we were buried with in our baptism so we could die to sin and receive eternal life in heaven (Romans 6:1-6). Knowing how great this is, why should we be quiet?
When you receive good news in your life, don’t you want to share it with everyone you can? Likewise, when you know someone may harm themselves, don’t you want to warn them? What greater news can you share with someone than the gospel of Christ, and what greater harm can people do to themselves than deny the full truth of salvation?
When we don’t share the truth we are denying it to others. Is our fear really worth our eternal souls and those of our loved ones? We use our mouths for so many things in our daily lives. Why not push our self-doubt aside and use our mouths to glorify God, to condemn wickedness in ourselves and others, and to bring others to salvation?
Penny Layne Writes 