Uncomfortable, by Aaron

I graduated three years ago and have worked at the same company since graduation. As many people begin a new job, our stress levels seem to increase secondary to many new skills we have to learn to perform that job. As time goes on, the job becomes more familiar and the work becomes more automatic because of the familiarity. One day turns into one week, which turns into one month, which turns into one year. As each day goes by, we begin to become more familiar with our coworkers, as we get to know them more each day.

After the first year of working, I felt this conviction in my spirit about how I approached my co-workers. Within that year I worked with the company, I had very seldom spoke about the Lord with my co-workers if I knew they were unbelievers. It was easy for me to speak about the Lord with the believers I worked with, but it was almost as though I had forgotten to bring it up with the non-believers. Still to this day, I feel more comfortable bringing up Jesus to a random stranger than I do to people I work with every day. I still struggle with consistently praying for those people I am around the majority of the week, but have found that I am more confident since being convicted by the Holy Spirit.

I went to a local track meet last spring to support the children of some friends I have. Randomly I saw a coworker of mine at the meet, because his kids were running. As we began to engage in conversation I felt this push in my spirit to ask him about attending church. Before I continue on, I have to let the reader know that I am a very introverted person. My senior year of high school I was voted as the shyest person in our class, if that paints a picture for you. As I began college and graduate school I began to break out of my shell, but still have some of those tendencies. As I felt that gentle push to ask about church, my stomach began to get butterflies, my palms got sweaty, and I think my speech definitely became shaky. The awesome thing about the Holy Spirit is that He is so gentle, but I felt this urgency to get to a deeper level with my peer.

So I finally asked him “do you and your family attend church?” He told me that they used to go, but in the past few years have not attended. We continued with a 5 minute conversation about his spiritual life and at the end of the conversation I invited him to church. My coworker did not end up becoming saved after the conversation and has yet to come to church, but those 5 minutes discussing the Lord with him was so powerful. Why was it so hard for me to talk to a person that I spend 40 hours a week with about the Lord? As I drove home from the track meet, I felt like the Holy Spirit was saying “you can do this Aaron, be confident”. John 14: 15-17 says “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever, the Spirit of truth. It is such good news that as a believer, the Holy Spirit is sent to guide and advocate for us. He is our greater encourager.

Since having that conversation with my coworker, Matthew :10:32-33 has been on my heart: “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. I think back on how many times I could have spoken to coworkers, friends, and family about the Lord without saying a word because I was nervous. The great news is that the Father gives us so much grace, and today is a new day. Be encouraged by Matthew 10:32, because as we speak to others about the Lord, Jesus will acknowledge us before the Father in heaven. I still ask for prayer everyday for confidence and courage to speak to others about the Lord. For those of you that have been in similar circumstances, I pray for encouragement as the Father begins to open doors for you to minister to those close to you. Life can sometimes be uncomfortable; but we have the key to overcome all situations. Jesus!!