When I was in youth group, I was strongly encouraged to share my faith. But it still felt intimidating to share my beliefs with friends. Sound familiar? I mean, when you share your faith, there’s no telling what your friends’ reaction will be and that unpredictability can make you feel scared. Or maybe you’re worried that you’ll be misunderstood or rejected. But on the flip side, have you ever thought about what we can learn when we boldly talk about Christ? Or, to put it more personally, what might God want to teach you when you ask him to help you share your faith?
You’re gonna be fine
“What do I say?” “What will my friends say?” “What if they have really tough questions?”
Those are all valid questions and God cares about you even when you’re anxious about these things (1 Peter 5:7). But I also believe that when the road is unknown, you’re gonna be fine. Yes, people might laugh. No, your friends won’t always believe you. But the past few years of sharing my faith intentionally has taught me that I can’t let my fears overwhelm me. Why? Because my friend’s final decision is out of my control. My only responsibility is to obey God’s call to preach the gospel (Mark 16:15) and trust him while he works on my friend's heart in His own time.
Your friends might respond better than you thought
Did you know that sharing your faith can actually create deeper friendships? That’s because in some cases, your friend might be thrilled that you’re sharing hope with them! It doesn’t happen all the time, but a while back, I used the Voke app to have a spiritual conversation with my coworker. She didn’t consider herself to be a spiritual person so I was hesitant to send her a video about Jesus’ love.
But somehow the video I shared really encouraged her. She texted me saying that she really appreciated it! This experience and other similar ones have taught me that I can have deeper relationships with my friends when I share God’s love.
You’ll go deeper in your relationship with God
Sharing my faith not only deepens my relationships with others; it also deepens my relationship with God. That’s because before telling others about Christ, I first have to sit down and wrestle with tough questions. Questions like, “Is Jesus real?” “Is God good?” “Did Jesus really defeat death?” By honestly asking these questions, praying and asking others (like your youth leader) for guidance, you’ll not only be prepared to answer tough questions; you’ll also know the reason for your faith.
Or, think about it this way: if you’re driving somewhere but don’t see any street signs telling you where to go, good luck finding your way anywhere! But knowing who Jesus is helps you navigate spiritual conversations. Reading or listening to gospels like the Gospel of John can be like reading street signs pointing both you and your friend to Jesus.
You’ll never be alone
There’s a fancy term for when you decide to not only grow closer to Jesus but to share his message: that term is the Great Commission. It means talking about Jesus’ death and resurrection with your friends, family, people on your sports team, anybody! But always remember this: right after giving us the Great Commission, Jesus said, “…and surely, I am with you always” (Matthew 28: 20).
The past two years of sharing my faith have been tough but really exciting. Two years ago, the thought of having deep talks about God seemed impossible! But the fact that He’s led me into conversations I never dreamed of is proof that He is with me as I speak. And that’s why there’s the word “co” in commission; it’s not just my mission or His mission. It’s the comission because somehow, we’re in this together!
If you asked God to help you go deeper with him and others this year, what are some of the things he might show you? We hope you go on this adventure with God (and you can learn more here), remembering that he can do more than you could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20-21)!