Stories Can Change Hearts

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord…” – 2 Timothy 1:7-8 

Every Christian has a story to tell. Some stories include exciting, even miraculous conversions. A powerful testimony cuts right to the heart of the Gospel. But others don’t have an exciting conversion story. There are a lot of people whose stories are about becoming Christians as children through parents, Sunday school teachers, or youth programs. They didn’t have to overcome obstacles, sins, or addictions. Either way your story can be an effective tool to share your faith with others.

God does sensational things. In the ninth chapter of Acts, we find the story of the Conversion of Paul. Saul (Paul) is on his way to Damascus to persecute some Christians. God knocks him to the ground, blinding him. Saul becomes a Christian and ends up writing a majority of the New Testament. Stories like this energize us, but they’re not the only stories. Consider how Paul describes Timothy’s faith: “I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.” (2 Timothy 1:5)  Timothy probably didn’t see his story as all that exciting because it wasn’t a huge, dramatic event.  He was a child raised in a faithful family, but the fact is that story has power as well. 

Sharing your faith story is an integral component in living out your faith. Your individual story makes up the greater story—the story of God’s redeeming His people for Himself. Your story, empowered by the Holy Spirit, can be a tool you can use anywhere to effectively share the message of God’s love.

Plus the story is only starting when we pray to receive Christ. It’s only the beginning. There will be many stories about how Jesus came through for us. There’s plenty of room for every one of us to have a powerful and dramatic tale about how God saved or directed us. But how do you distill a lifetime of experiences into a few minutes, and communicate the significance of your faith in a way others can understand? This is the challenge.

Sharing your faith isn’t restricted to the senior pastors of a church – it’s for every one of us. God doesn’t call us to reach everybody, but He does call us to reach somebody. Ask God to open up the right opportunities for you to reach out to people, and allow Him to use you to make a difference in the lives of those around you. Such situations are windows of opportunity to tell your story of faith.

Discussion Question:

1. Opportunities to share your story present themselves in daily life, often unexpectedly.  Can you think of a time when this was true for you? How did you react to the situation? How often have you shared your story?
2. What has God placed on your heart to share with others?
3. What can we do this week to prepare ourselves for opportunities to share your story?