Encouragement for Your Week: March 15-21
This Week’s Verse
"But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, 'I believed in God, so I spoke.'"
— 2 Corinthians 4:13 (NLT)
Devotion
When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, he wasn’t sugarcoating his experience. He described his ministry as being "hunted down," "knocked down," and living under the "constant danger of death." For Paul, sharing his faith wasn't a casual Sunday activity; it was a high-stakes mission that cost him his comfort, his safety, and eventually his life.
While you and I might not face physical pursuit or life-threatening danger for our beliefs today, the opposition is still very real. Maybe for you, it looks like a cold shoulder at work, a mocking comment from a family member, or that internal voice of doubt telling you to stay quiet so you don't "make things awkward." The world—and the spiritual forces behind it—rarely applauds when we try to shine a light on the truth.
If it’s so difficult, why do we keep doing it? Paul points to a simple, profound reality: True belief demands expression. He quotes an ancient psalmist who said, "I believed in God, so I spoke."
Think about it—when something truly transforms your life, you can't keep it a secret. Whether it’s a life-saving medical discovery or just a really great book, you naturally want to share it. How much more should this be true for the Gospel?
By God's grace, your eyes were opened. The Holy Spirit entered your life, and the "old you" started to fade away. You stopped resisting the truth and began re-ordering your entire world around it. This internal shift is like a rising tide; eventually, it has to overflow into your conversations.
Sharing your faith isn't about memorizing a sales pitch or winning an argument. It’s about being an honest witness to what you have seen and felt. When your life is being "re-ordered" by Christ, your speech naturally follows.
You don't speak because you’re perfect or because you have all the answers; you speak because you believe. Your faith isn't a private hobby—it's the core of who you are. Don't let the fear of a little friction keep you from sharing the light that changed your soul.