A God-given Mission

People ask me questions about my disability, my illness, or my faith (or all three) on at least a daily basis.

The natural extension of this for most people goes something like this: 'How can you believe in God when you have so much to cope with?’ These questions are inextricably linked to my testimony. I will usually start from the question the person has asked me and fill it in from there. 

I once remember a retired minister called David Serle said that our ‘testimony’ was concerned with Jesus life, His death on the cross, His resurrection, and that we have been saved, cleansed from our sin and raised to live a new life following Jesus. The rest of it is our story, unique to each one of us, but as Christians we all have the same responsibility:

'But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect' (1 Peter 3:15-16).

Embracing the gift

How is this different from having the ‘gift’ of evangelism? (Eph 4:11-12). The above is expected of every Christian, but somehow explaining how God has and is working in my life to bring good from the bad and develop me as a person, through it, is something that comes very naturally to me. A friend once said I am uniquely placed to reach and minister to some of the people it is hardest to reach with the gospel – those who think there is no place for God because it is medicine, and medical science alone, that makes people better. 

I would also say that ‘carers’ often care because they have known trauma in their own lives to a great degree, bringing out the desire to help others who need assistance. I therefore often have deep conversations with hurting people. God is bringing those who need Him to me rather than me going to them, giving me the opportunity to use and develop the gift He has given, for His glory. Maybe this is where the difference is between the duty of every Christian to share their faith, and having the ‘gift’ of evangelism? Having this gift means I also have a responsibility to use it. Otherwise I am not making the most of what God has given me. I guess I also need to learn when to use it, and when to stay silent – something of a challenge for me! I always wonder, 'Have I said enough?' It is my job to plant the seed, and God’s to water it when the time is right. I just have to trust these conversations to God and leave the rest to Him.

What does 'evangelism' mean to you?  

N.B. The first paragraph of this article is adapted from a post I wrote in October 2012 called Ready To Answer which originally appeared on the BigBible website. Reproduced and adapted with permission from Bex Lewis. You can view the original post here.