Where is Your Allegiance?

I’ve been struggling with evangelizing at work for a while now, and more recently the struggle has been intensifying. Every day I find myself battling the fear of losing my job versus the fear of missing out on opportunities to share the Gospel with people I meet, and I shamefully admit that the fear of losing my job often wins the battle. The other day I heard a sermon preached by Paul McDonald titled, Fear and Heart Allegiances in Evangelism. I was challenged to think about where my allegiances lie. Paul preached from Matthew 10:24-39, and the message was both convicting and encouraging. I know I’m not the only one battling this fear regularly, whether at work, with friends, with family or strangers, we all fear what people may think of us or the loses we may face if we share the Gospel. In the sermon, Paul says it exactly how it is, “We fear pain because we value comfort.”  I personally fear losing my job because I enjoy the work I do and it provides me with financial security; two things I find comfort in. How foolish of me to forfeit opportunities to obey my Lord and Saviour for fear of losing something that He provided. Whether I keep my job or lose it, will be up to Him just the same way it was when I got hired. Of course when I put it as plainly as that, it seems completely irrational, but in the moment I have a million ‘justifiable’ reasons as to why I should stay silent. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be thoughtful and wise about when and how we witness, but sometimes I know I can be so thoughtful that before I know it, the opportunity is gone. I’m working on finding a balance.

Paul also says, “Fear exposes allegiances, and that’s why we should listen very closely to our fears.” If I am aware enough to see that I’m making decisions based on my fear of loss and suffering at the expense of obeying the command to share the Gospel, that means I need to change the things/people I’ve aligned my heart with. I’m thankful to God for providing not only the awareness, but also the grace to do something about it. If I could, I would quote Paul’s entire sermon, but you should probably just click on the link and give it a listen yourself. He is clear in presenting the Scripture as it applies not only to the disciples in Jesus’ time, but to us as well, as followers of Christ.

I’ll end off  by sharing a prayer from The Valley of Vision (Maja wrote a bit about this awesome book of prayers last week, if you want to know more about it click on “What I’m Reading”).

Divine Support

Thou Art The Blessed God,
Happy in thyself,
Source of happiness in thy creatures,
My Maker, Benefactor, Proprietor, Upholder.
Thou hast produced and sustained me,
Supported and indulged me,
Saved and kept me;
Thou art in every situation able to meet my needs and miseries.
May I live by thee,
Live for thee,
Never be satisfied with my Christian progress
But as I resemble Christ;
And may conformity to his principles, temper,
And conduct grow hourly in my life.
Let thy unexampled love constrain me into holy obedience,
And render my duty my delight.
If others deem my faith folly,
My meekness infirmity,
My zeal madness,
My hope delusion,
My actions hypocrisy,
May I rejoice to suffer for thy name.
Keep me walking steadfastly towards the country
Of everlasting delights,
That paradise-land which is my true inheritance.
Support me by strength of heaven
That I may never turn back,
Or desire false pleasures
That wilt and disappear into nothing.
As I pursue my heavenly journey by thy grace
Let me be known as a man with no aim
But that of a burning desire for thee,
And the good and salvation of my fellow men.

“Our hope is beyond this life” – Paul McDonald