So often we can find ourselves discouraged by our own sense of unworthiness and inability to speak to friends, neighbours and strangers about God’s grace in Christ.

We feel that we let The Lord down; that we do despite to his name by our poor understanding, or our feeble words or inability to be able to give a reason for the hope that is in us in the moment when it matters most.

This sense of letting The Lord down can have a very real impact on our desire to go ahead a share the gospel.

Fear of reprisal is one thing, but the thought that I am just not able to serve the lord adequately; that I’m not up to this ambassadorial role can be hindering.

There are some really helpful texts which should shape the way we think about our service to The Lord and should shape the way we go about representing him to others.

Acts 17:25 says,

25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

God is not a weak God who needs hand outs from human beings to get his point across or achieve his purposes. Instead he is a God who gives people even the most basic things in life. Things that we need for our very survival.

Elsewhere in Matthew 6:30-31 Jesus says,

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you – you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?”

So how should we serve The Lord rightly, it kind of sounds like he doesn’t need our help. 1 Peter 4:11 helps a lot,

11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

This is how you ensure that God gets the glory when you speak: you should speak as one who depends on the strength of God. And this is very encouraging for us if we feel we are weak and ill-equipped to speak for him, because that is the way that we ought to be. We ought to feel inadequate for the task, otherwise we’d be in danger of relying on our own words and capabilities to speak and end up robbing God of the glory that he gets when he supplies the strength!
Even the desciples had to contend with the problem, Luke 21:13-15,

And so you will bear testimony to me. 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

The greater challenge may be for the confident, self assured speaker, because that person has to contend with him or herself and ensure that they are leaning on The Lord for strength.

So Be encouraged in your weakness, The Lord will supply’s he strength and it will bring him glory!