Life's Healing ChoicesSample

Witnesses Just Share What They’ve Seen God Do Everybody you see this week has a hidden hurt. And everybody you meet this week needs a massive dose of hope. When you share hope, you’ll have a willing audience. The hope that best helps people is the hope from somebody who says, “Been there, done that.” That’s how God wants to use you. God wants you to be a hope dispenser by sharing your experiences and what God has done for you. The Bible says in 1 Peter 3:15, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (NIV). God wants you to be his witness. Most people are scared to death to be a witness. They think a witness means they have to explain why Jesus died on the cross, quote Scripture verses from memory, and know a bunch of theology and doctrine. You don’t have to know a single Bible verse to be a witness. Do you know the difference between a witness and an attorney? It is the job of the attorney to press the case, to show the evidence, and to ask for a decision. Not once in Scripture does Jesus say, “You will be my attorney.” It’s not your job to convince people to accept Christ. That’s the Holy Spirit’s job. You’re not called to be an attorney. But you are called and commanded by God to be a witness. What do witnesses do? They say, “This is what I saw. I saw the blue car run into the red car.” Are you an expert on cars? No. Do you know anything else? No. You just share what you’ve seen. That’s called being a witness. How does God want you to be a witness this week to the unbelievers in your life who are hurting and need hope? He wants you to say, “Pain really got my attention. Let me tell you what I learned. I learned that I need people in my life when I’m going through pain. I learned that God is all I need. You don’t know God is all you need until God is all you’ve got. I learned that God’s going to hang with me no matter what.” You share the lessons you’ve learned through your pain. You say, “Let me tell you about a time that something bad happened to me but God brought good out of it.” That’s what God commands you to do — pass on your hope. This devotional © 2014 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.