Discovering a Surprise

In the school I went to the most, we had an indoor pool. It was an Olympic sized pool. This may not seem like much, but I lived in a town of about 3,000 people, and this was in 1982. Though I enjoyed being in a pool, I didn't really know how to swim. I was very scared and nervous when our PE class had swimming each quarter. However, through my time there, I not only became very comfortable with the water, I became a much more skilled swimmer. I would sometimes surprise myself with being able to make it to a different level or learn a different stroke. Life can often be a lot like my experiences of learning to swim...

One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn't do. ~ Henry Ford

Trying a new skill is not comfortable to most. You may feel like you are going to make a fool of yourself or afraid of hurting yourself. I've had lots of these types of learning situations - riding a bicycle, learning to snow ski, learning to do a forward flip, etc. All entailed many times of failure before you figure out the skill. Even after learning the skill, there are still moments of failing, but it doesn't stop one from going at it again. Also, once you learn the skills, it is very enjoyable to practice them, again and again.

The same goes with sharing Jesus. You are nervous because it is not something that you are accustomed to doing. You may also have a "one method" mindset that shackles your thinking from realizing you can share Jesus in any way that is natural to you. Regardless of what fear prevents you from sharing Him daily, may you be empowered to overcome that fear. Knowing that once you figure out what is natural to you, you will look forward to the next opportunity. Even if you "fail", you have learned the skill enough to know how enjoyable it is to keep trying!

So, say "Hi", ask "How's your day going?", tell someone, "I'm praying for you", ask "Are you afraid?", just listen, leave a good tip, pay someone a compliment, or any number of things that are natural to you that allows you to have an open door to share Jesus.

Looking forward to the next opportunity to use my skills...