In the past, I had been very shy about sharing my faith. Talking to someone about Jesus felt awkward; but the Holy Spirit convicted me, and I started praying for an opportunity to share what Christ had done for me. In His abundant mercy, God began to give me boldness to share the work of God.
I was standing in line for the bus when we met. We were both traveling to Delaware, and as we boarded I struck up a conversation with the conscious intent of discussing my faith. He made it clear he was an atheist, but was willing to listen to what I had to share.
God inspired me with real-life examples of His work in my life as I told him the ways the Lord had changed me. The man remarked that I was different than other Christians he had met, and he asked if we could sit next to one another on the bus to continue our conversation.
We talked throughout the drive, and when we arrived in Delaware, we went our separate ways. He did not break down in tears or confess his own sin before me and before God, and he didn’t repent and ask the Lord for forgiveness through Christ. But he heard me share the truth. And from here, it is within God's sovereign plan to intervene in His perfect timing.
I think a lot of people believe sharing the gospel is only a success if it leads to salvation; but success in evangelism is simply being obedient in sharing the gospel. This conversation was purely from God, and I’ve learned that when those opportunities arise, it is my role to share Christ’s love and what He has done for me—only God has the power to change hearts.
So my story is of God’s faithfulness in my own life relating to personal evangelism, and the joy I received from sharing my faith with someone who needed to hear the gospel. If the listener recognizes the truth, they will continue seeking it for themselves, but only God is in control of that.
This was a challenging experience for me, but I could see God enabling me to stand up for my faith in Him. God answered my prayers through this story, and my view of evangelism has started to change. The more I recognize the love of God, the more I’m encouraged to share the love of Christ.
Since then, by God’s grace, I have continued to stand for Jesus!