Practice Telling Your Faith Story
Stop.
Pause and quiet your heart and mind. Breathe in and say, “You are my peace.” Breathe out and say, “You are our hope.” Repeat as many times as you need.
Listen.
Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. – 1 Peter 3:15b-16a
Reflect.
The first reason people give for not sharing their testimony is that they don’t feel like they know what to say, and that’s intimidating enough. Many of us haven’t had much chance to practice telling the story of our faith, or feel like we don’t know enough about the Bible, or are worried we’ll get a question we don’t know how to answer, and any of those things feel pretty scary.
But the second reason people give for not bearing witness to God’s action in their lives is even more scary. Many people are worried they’ll start a fight. They’ll get pushback from the other person. They’ll be called out. They’ll be condescended to. They’ll be confronted. The situation will escalate, and everyone will get mad, and God will be used as a weapon. If that’s possible, why even try? No one likes a fight.
And sure, it’s possible that someone will take offense to what you have to say. For many reasons, some people have strong reactions to hearing about another’s beliefs. But rather than quitting before you start, it might be more helpful to framing your testimony in the most natural, comfortable, gracious place.
Make sure you’re telling your story as a simple part of your identity, not as a belief that the other must adopt. Tell your testimony in the context of a relationship so you can be sure you’re sharing this part of yourself with someone who will interact, not attack. Offer your witness as personal experience, not as sole, objective truth. Testimony isn’t meant to prove that you’re right and someone else is wrong. It’s meant to invite others into an experience of the living God through your words.
Still, even if you’ve been as gracious, humble, and relational as you possibly can, someone might take you the wrong way. You can’t control what they think of you. But you can control how you respond. 1 Peter reminds us that we can indeed defend our faith, but always with “gentleness and reverence”. We bear witness to our God even as we defend our beliefs. May we do so with respect, compassion, and peace.
Pray.
God, keep me from fear and doubt as I share my love for you. When my words result in another’s anger, grant me peace. Help me to respond with gentleness and reverence as you have called me. May confrontations turn into conversations by your grace. Amen.
Carry On.
What do you notice about arguments around religious belief? How do people tend to react? How can you be a force for gentleness and reverence in the midst of those confrontations?