Does Witnessing Make Your Palms Sweaty?

Paul had just given his testimony to the King.

He explained his conversion experience on the road to Damascus when he was blinded and heard Jesus' voice audibly. He told how he felt compelled to then preach the good news of salvation through Christ to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. After he had finished, King Agrippa asked if Paul was trying to convert him, too. Paul’s response is one of the most encouraging in Scripture to me: “Short time or long…” He left the results in God’s hands.

It is hard for me to tell my story to a stranger face to face, even when prompted by God to do so. How much easier to sit behind the comfort of my keyboard and communicate the gospel for Internet readers! My palms sweat less and the lump in my throat goes away. Perhaps you feel the same. If so, I hope Paul’s response can become a source of encouragement to you, as it has for me.

It doesn’t matter if we get an eye roll, or a prompting to tell them more. Just because they don’t respond by falling on their knees and asking us to pray the Sinner’s Prayer with them doesn’t mean we have failed. How people react is not in our realm of power. That is up to God. Our role is to share how God has moved in our lives and how it has affected us. If we have been obedient to do that, God is pleased and His power will take care of the rest. Allow Him to use your witnessing to His glory and in His timing, be it a short time or a long one.

Dear Lord, remove my pride from the picture and remind me it is all about you, not me. I do not have to worry about how I am received. I only have to be the mouthpiece when you call me to be it, whether my words are read on a computer screen or heard by human ears. Amen.

Go deeper — Make a list of the people you know who have yet to know Christ. Pray for them even if they seem hard of heart or have scoffed at you. If God prompts you, tell them about what He has done in your life recently and be at peace, no matter their response. Our friend, retired Major Wes Bowers, thought his witnessing had gone in one ear and out the other, but one day he got a surprising phone call. Watch his story.