ICS Daily Devotions
You Have a Story to Tell
1 Peter 3:15 (NKJV) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defence to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.
Do you know that other people are interested in your life story even though you may not be a celebrity? It is the inquisitiveness in us that causes us to want to know about others’ lives. Every story is captivating because it is real and filled with different experiences. While others are concerned about privacy, Christians who appreciate the salvation of God which changed their lives should be willing to share their stories because they are filled with God’s grace and mercy. You may think your story is ordinary, but it is the most powerful and convincing testimony besides the Gospel for others to desire to know more about God.
To be honest, there are not many real conversations out there because all of us put on a facade. However, we never know when opportunities for more meaningful and in-depth conversations will arise. Therefore, we need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit who might want us to minister to somebody. We need to be aware that there are people hiding behind their suffering. There is always a story behind every person’s life regardless of their status in society because financial prosperity and success in the corporate world don’t fully contribute to a person’s absolute well-being. Some might have reached the pinnacle of success but realised that they are not happy after all— they have paid a price for their affluence but still felt the emptiness in their hearts.
There are different kinds of sufferings in this world, some of which have been brought about by wrong decisions, values, and principles. Many people might be crying in their hearts while laughing outside. God has created us with emotions. We need love, especially unconditional love and acceptance. Successful people can be hurt to find that they have no real friends because people are just leveraging on their success. It can be very lonely among the crowd, yet they cannot show it. The emptiness in their hearts will not be filled until God takes His rightful place there.
As a believer who are placed to live and work among unbelievers, we are called to testify of the goodness of God to the different strata of society. We need to be bold when the Holy Spirit leads us to share our testimony and the love of Christ with those God has led us to minister to. We don’t need to feel awkward but graciously weave our testimony into the conversation whenever the opportunity arises, whether at a dinner party, on the plane with the person seated next to us, at an alumni event or over a game of golf. We should be ready to share our personal testimony in all settings!
Sermon Series: My Personal Testimony
