Do you have BOLDNESS

To be bold. It's not an easy thing. At least not for me anyway. In some situations I can be very bold. Among my friends and people I know well I can be bold. Inside the church it is easy to share my faith and to be bold.

But is that really boldness? I have a hard time being bold in my everyday life. Some of you may know that I work at a coffee shop. I meet new people everyday and have built a lot of good relationships with customers and the other employees. I've thought so many times about all the opportunities I have to share my faith and to be bold. But way more often than not I miss out on these opportunities and don't take advantage of them.

Peter and John in Acts 5 were bold. They had been brought before the authorities before and told not to preach the name of Jesus. But they kept on doing it knowing that they risked their lives and freedoms. So they were brought before the high priest and told once again that they better stop. They had prayed for boldness with the other believers back in Chapter 4, and God did not hold that back from them. How awesome! Chapter 5 ends with the two apostles "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name" (v. 41).

The thing I struggle with the most is feeling like a hypocrite to God. I read these verses and pray for boldness. I truly want to share Jesus with others. How could I not after reading of God's awesome works in His people? But then when I'm presented with opportunities to share the name of Christ and tell others about the cross, I shy away. This has been a huge struggle and brought feelings of guilt.

But I know that God forgives. That He loves me and wants me to grow. So I want to continue praying for boldness and for opportunities to come my way. Thank you heavenly Father for your Son. Thank you for your Word and those who came before us. Thank you for boldness and I pray that you would continue to teach me about it. Amen.