God
Faith
One more thing I want to say: sometimes people are afraid of sharing their spiritual journey with others, for fear of social ostracism. Here they are on this profound path, but never mention it to anyone-- so they half think it's just in their head! "Oh, I don't want to speak about this out loud, because someone might call me crazy-- they might call me a kook!"
If, oh I don't know, believing in the literal creator of the universe makes us "kooks", then that is a badge we should wear with the highest honor!
But sometimes, it's a serious inhibitor for people! "Ok, so I believe that Jesus rose from the dead-- but I'd better not say anything, I mean, what if people think I'm nuts? Or if I talk about it, they'll think I'm going too far? That I'm becoming 'too religious'?"
Then I come to find out, this person has this incredible personal testimony, and that they are on the path to holiness... in those moments, the onus falls on us, who do not have the inhibition, to just set the example by calling out the elephant in the room-- to give them permission to talk about it! It can be as simple as saying "God bless you", or telling them that you'll pray for them. It brings it all out into the open.
It's a way of saying to them, "Um, yeah, there's literally an elephant, standing right there by the couch." To which they'll think, "Oh thank God, there really is an elephant in the living room with us! Here I thought I was imagining it, or that you'd think I was crazy if I pointed it out!"
The key is knowing when someone is ready for this prompting. If we're too sudden and they're not ready, it might harden their hearts, at least in the short run. I think this is why it's so important to be trying to listen all of the time to what God is saying to us.
We don't know when He will call! Only He knows the moments! So if we miss that prompting phone call-- "Knock knock, this is the Holy Spirit-- you need to say something to that person over there"-- the moment will have passed. These are the two key pieces: listening to the Lord to discern His will, then acting on His will when He tells us to. Listening, and acting.
If, oh I don't know, believing in the literal creator of the universe makes us "kooks", then that is a badge we should wear with the highest honor!
But sometimes, it's a serious inhibitor for people! "Ok, so I believe that Jesus rose from the dead-- but I'd better not say anything, I mean, what if people think I'm nuts? Or if I talk about it, they'll think I'm going too far? That I'm becoming 'too religious'?"
Then I come to find out, this person has this incredible personal testimony, and that they are on the path to holiness... in those moments, the onus falls on us, who do not have the inhibition, to just set the example by calling out the elephant in the room-- to give them permission to talk about it! It can be as simple as saying "God bless you", or telling them that you'll pray for them. It brings it all out into the open.
It's a way of saying to them, "Um, yeah, there's literally an elephant, standing right there by the couch." To which they'll think, "Oh thank God, there really is an elephant in the living room with us! Here I thought I was imagining it, or that you'd think I was crazy if I pointed it out!"
The key is knowing when someone is ready for this prompting. If we're too sudden and they're not ready, it might harden their hearts, at least in the short run. I think this is why it's so important to be trying to listen all of the time to what God is saying to us.
We don't know when He will call! Only He knows the moments! So if we miss that prompting phone call-- "Knock knock, this is the Holy Spirit-- you need to say something to that person over there"-- the moment will have passed. These are the two key pieces: listening to the Lord to discern His will, then acting on His will when He tells us to. Listening, and acting.