You might think as I did, that you have no exciting, adventurous stories to tell. I always thought I lived a fairly normal life. But the first time I had a chance to share my story I realized not only the impact that it had on others, but also on myself. I was surprised to see that other people could relate so closely to me. They too had experienced much of what I had and hearing me be open enough to talk about helped them as much as it did me. In sharing your story you must open yourself, let your guard down, and become vulnerable. That’s what scares most people. But whether your speaking in front of a room full of people or one-on-one with a friend, your story has the power to change lives.
God is at Work in Your Life
It’s due to our fallen human nature that we tend to focus on the negative things that happen to us. When someone asks you “How was your day?” most likely you respond with a laundry list of complaints. But this past Sunday—the Second Sunday of Advent—we prayed together the Responsorial Psalm:
“The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.”
God didn’t just create you and leave you alone in this world to fend for yourself. He is alive and active in your daily life, whether or not you acknowledge His presence—you’ve heard the anecdote of the footprints in the sand.
Most of us would be quick to admit that God is good and that His goodness has impacted our lives in extraordinary ways. Unfortunately, often times as humans we focus on the not-so-good moments of our lives. We like drama. We are drawn to negativity. But as Christians, through the gifts of the Spirit, we are able to see the good that comes from those difficult situations and circumstances. We rise from the ashes in those daily resurrections like mythical bird the phoenix, as Christ on the eighth day!
You are a Witness
The greek word for witness is where we get the english word martyr. To be a martyr for the faith is to bear witness—like John the Baptist preparing the way of the Lord—to the love of God in your life. The first disciples of Christ were witnesses to Jesus in His earthly ministry of preaching, healing, and performing miracles as well as to His suffering, death, and ultimately His resurrection and ascension into Heaven. But it didn’t end there. They also were witnesses and recipients, as are we, of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
“Through our witness, let us make this truly a City of the Angels — a city of love and truth, where all can know that God is near in his love, and where the horizons of every life are open to his promise of salvation.”
Amen! I couldn’t have said it better myself. Let us heed the prophetic words of our archbishop, a modern day apostle, to be those witnesses. Be a bold witness of the faith. Testify to the power of God’s love in your life. Your story has the power to change lives. Don’t keep it to yourself.
What miracles has God worked in your life? What great things has God done for you? How have you been a witness to the power of God’s love?