Read and Grow

Christians aren’t immune to struggles with mental health. It’s a fact. We might recognise we have hope, love and assurance that transcends any anxious thought. But we can’t escape the fact that we are mortal, imperfect, and the pressures of this world can consume us.

Even Godly people in the Bible struggled with their mental health. Consider the following statements:

“How long must I have sorrow in my heart?”
Psalm 13:2

“My tears have been my food day and night.”
Psalm 42:3

“I am a man who has no strength”
Psalm 88:4

Does it surprise you that these are the very thoughts and writings of faithful God followers?

The reality is that knowing and following Jesus does not safeguard you from mental health struggles. David, in the Old Testament, very clearly struggled with depressive and anxious thoughts – his psalms are filled with them. He was thrown into the limelight at a young age, His king/father-in-law attempted to murder him – that would probably come up in counselling – and his personal failings were made very public.

Despite all these things David had God’s favour and was still chosen to do His work. God himself called David ‘a man after my own heart’ 1 Samuel 13:14. David’s struggles with his mental health did not disqualify him, and neither do yours.

God doesn’t see you as ‘less than’ because of your struggles.

You are in no way disqualified from sharing Jesus because of your mental health. The path to moving forward might be to see yourself from God’s perspective – and this could be your biggest challenge.

You are loved‍

- Nothing you do or experience will keep you from the love of God.

You are forgiven

- His grace covers all your fears and failures.

You are cared for

- He cares about the details of your life.

You are not alone

- He is with you, and He will never leave you.

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How do we get God’s perspective?

1. Read your Bible. Scripture dismantles lies and sets your eyes on Jesus.

2. Worship. Placing Jesus as the King of your heart puts your anxieties into their right perspective.

3. Pray. Share your struggle with the Holy Spirit and ask Him to give you revelation on who Jesus is.

4. Share. When the opportunity comes, share about the inner transformation that Jesus is doing.

Overcome your mental health struggles by walking close with Jesus and witness your life from His perspective.

Lis is a passionate Brazilian, visual artist and mother. After losing her own mother, we spoke to her about the importance of empathy and how God can bring good things out of tragic circumstances...
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This Is Lis's Story
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I lost my Mum to cancer. Not long after that I found myself in a conversation with a woman who also had cancer. I was still grieving the death of my Mum, but I didn't want to let that pain get in the way of the Holy Spirit's prompt to pray for her. I also didn't want that woman to miss out on everything that God could do in her life.

The dilemma in that moment was how to be empathetic to what she was going through and not be insensitive just because I wanted to talk about Jesus. So I asked an open-ended question to gauge her response: “Do you believe in God?” This was a great question because it gave her the power to direct the conversation and gave me the opportunity to listen and hear things from her perspective.

The question opened up a great conversation. I was able to share about the tangible hope that Jesus had given to my Mum and family towards the end of her life and in the end I was able to pray for her!

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We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.
Romans 8:28

This experience reminded me how important it is to reflect on your past experiences, bad and good, because God can and does use both.

When you remember what God has done, you will be prepared to share when the opportunity comes.

Tayla is a former competitive surfer and self-confessed introvert. After an injury halted her surfing career, Tayla felt that God was encouraging her to step outside of her comfort zone and live life with a focus more on others than herself. She tells the story...
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‍This Is Tayla's Story
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I found that living for myself is actually quite comfortable. So when I felt challenged to step back and start looking for others, it was scary, but I found that that's actually what we are called to do.

When I was living in South Africa, I was surfing competitively for a while and I was just so focused on myself - until I had an injury that prevented me from competing. The day before a competition that I’d been training really hard for, I sliced my foot right open and I couldn't walk anymore.

And that's when I really felt God was like guiding me that I needed to step out.

I'm a super introverted person, which made it challenging for me to step out and share my faith. So it took a lot of courage, but it also brought a lot of fear when it came to actually doing something. So, I was praying for opportunities to come along where I could share my faith and one day I was in the water surfing and I encountered these guys. I discovered that they were former street children and that one of my friends was going to start volunteering at the organisation where these guys were from, called Surfers Not Street Children.

I just had the idea one day, you know, maybe I should start a Bible study. So a friend and I started one up with these guys, which was really challenging because it was really out of my comfort zone. The first time we turned up at Bible study, it was pretty scary as we didn't really know what to talk about or how to engage with them. They were late teens/young adults, and were pretty sceptical.
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I found their push back difficult, but it was then I had to remember, you know, everyone comes from a different background, so just showing love towards them was the most important thing. Sometimes we have no idea where people have been or what they're going through, and sometimes they just need to be shown love. These guys were from the streets and they grew up on the streets. So we would try to choose topics that would relate to them.

There was this one really sceptical guy who came for the first few weeks. After a while he became a bit more engaged in the study and asked more questions. It was so cool to see him interested in wanting to know more. One day he came to Bible study and just showed us his chest… he had ‘God is good’ tattooed across his whole chest - just like the ‘No Ragrets’ meme - which was really cool to see.

That’s when I thought ‘this is so awesome’ and this is why I'm doing this. It was so encouraging because I had been so scared in starting the Bible study. It was so awesome being able to see how God can even use an introvert.

I realised it's so important to be obedient to God's calling even when it’s something that's scary and we have a lot of fear towards. It’s encouraging knowing that when we are obedient, God is with us and He has put the opportunity in front of us for a reason. He’ll always go before us and be with us through it all.

We live in a world full of restlessness, fear, and instability. Yet, as Christians, Jesus offers us peace amidst it all. As Christians, not only do we have access to this peace, but we are also called to reflect it to others who are longing for stability and hope in a chaotic world.

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“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

Peace is one of the greatest gifts God gave to humankind. And it’s a gift we can share with those around us who are searching for meaning and rest. Yet, often we can feel far from peace. So how do we as Christians live from the place of peace that Jesus describes? Erwin McManus illustrates it well when he speaks about worship, and how genuine worship can create a shift of responsibility in our thinking.

When we are feeling overwhelmed by life, feeling the stress, anxiety, and the despair, McManus says it’s because we have taken on responsibility for things that we do not have the power to carry. So how do we shift the burden and draw on the peace Jesus offers?

Let it Go

Erwin explains when we take on the stressors it’s like we pitch a horizontal roof over our life. When the rain falls, it gets heavy and our roof collapses. Yet, if we shift our roof to be more vertical, aka, connect with God. It causes the rain to pour off to the side and water all the fields around it, growing a harvest that eventually bears fruit. When we live from a place of peace, it becomes evident to those around us. Our lives can spark curiosity and open doors for conversations about the source of our peace—Jesus.

Re-align

Worshipping God teaches our soul to shift our roof vertically. This helps us to re-align our internal narrative too, “This is bigger than me. This is not mine to bear. I’m going to give it to God.” which can provide a sense of peace even in the chaos. As you re-align and experience God’s peace, consider how you can gently point others to Him through your own example and words.

Practice

When the stressors of life start to take over your peace, practice the art of refining your soul worship so that when the rain comes, you can continue to be peacemakers who create fruit within the storm.

In practising the art of resting in God's peace, we not only nurture our own souls but also demonstrate to others the hope and security found in Jesus. Who in your life might benefit from hearing about the peace that Jesus offers?

How are you practising the art of resting in God's peace in this season?

Brian is a regular bloke who loves Jesus and has a heart to share him with the people he meets every day. A chance encounter at a petrol station became an opportunity to share Jesus in a miraculous way. Brian was ready for that opportunity because he made one simple life choice…

The other day I was at a petrol station. I noticed a bloke who seemed to be limping, he looked like he was in pain. So I went up to him and I said “Hey mate, can I pray for you?” he replied, “Sure, yeah, you can pray for me.”

It turned out he was a Muslim so he wasn’t bothered by me praying for him at all. I prayed that all his pain would go away. At first, nothing happened but after a few moments, he turned back to me and said that his pain had gone away! I said “That’s because Jesus loves you and cares for you.”

It was a super quick moment. He didn’t trust in Jesus at that moment but it planted a seed. And maybe further down the line, he’ll be open to hearing the Gospel.

An easy way I’ve found to start talking to people about Jesus is to ask “Hey, does that hurt?” because there are people everywhere who are in pain. I don’t always have the right words to say but I just try to build their connection to Jesus.

There is one decision I’ve made that has been super helpful in sharing the Gospel, when I go out into the world I simply keep my eyes open. Too often we’re so focused on ourselves we miss opportunities that are right in front of us. Sometimes there are things going on around you that the Lord wants you to see. He might want you to move in on someone else’s life. Right there at that moment. We need to learn to take our blinders off and ask God “What are you doing in this place around me?”

Pretty soon when you do this, you’ll start to see the needs of those around you. Everywhere you go, there’s somebody who needs a word of encouragement, kindness, an act of charity or healing through the gospel.

Anyone can do this.

You’ll be amazed at what comes across your path as you simply begin to move about your world with your eyes open.

Do you ever feel like your phone owns you, and not the other way around?

Through DMs, phone messages, and social media notifications you are connected with hundreds of millions of people around the world. Each ping from your phone is a demand of your attention, and every post, comment, and message you send comes from a desire for attention back. Instant attention from anonymous people on the other side of the world.

Thanks to the internet, our society is hyper-connected. Whether you like it or not we are plugged into the largest communication hub ever known to man. But the cracks are starting to show.

We are bloated with hyper-connectedness yet we hunger for a connection that is true, genuine, and personal.

Humans are hardwired for genuine connection. And it’s in that space Jesus calls you to share him with the world.

After His death and resurrection, Jesus gathers his disciples together and sends them out, saying, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Notice the progression of Jesus’ instructions; Jerusalem followed by Judea and Samaria, and finally the ends of the earth.

For the disciples, Jerusalem was the immediate area, the centre of their culture and society. Judea and Samaria were regions beyond the immediate, and the ends of the Earth were… well, as far as you can go.

So if you’re looking for a way to share Jesus, start in YOUR Jerusalem.

Start in your immediate area where you are already personally connected. Start with your friends, family and the people you see every day. Cultivate a friendship that is personal and genuine and share Jesus in that space. It could be as simple as starting a conversation with your barista or someone at uni, or in a friendship you already have but want to take deeper.

As you grow your friendship, find ways to demonstrate the fruit of the spirit. Let peace, love, and joy shine out like a light on a hill pointing to Jesus. In the context of your close relationships, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and take opportunities to open up conversations about Jesus, church, and faith.

People are hungry for genuine connection.

Share Jesus by limiting your hyper-connection with the world and explore true, genuine connection with the people already around you.

Who can you reach out to in genuine connection today?

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References
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/the-human-connection/201912/making-real-connections-in-the-age-social-media

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth.”

Acts 1:8

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Social media has changed the landscape of how we share Jesus forever. In the past, it was rallies, cable TV shows, and church outreach events; now you can reach massive crowds with your social media account. Of course, it’s not always that simple.
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Social media isn’t always an effective space to discuss topics like faith and Jesus. Have you ever wondered why you can post a picture of your cat falling off the sofa and it basically goes viral, but a post about your faith makes you feel like people are scrolling with their eyes shut?

How can you leverage your social platforms to share Jesus in a way that’s effective and engaging?

To do this, it’s helpful to understand the nature of the environment in which you’re communicating.

The Social Space

When posting online, the first thing to recognise is you’re operating in a ‘social space’. A social space involves a large audience, such as a lecture, a church service, or even a YouTube video. Information can be shared with a large audience, but often at the expense of meaningful engagement and personal transformation.

The Personal Space

Talking about Jesus in a way that results in ongoing life change is most effective when you’re operating in the ‘personal space’. A personal space takes place in one-to-one conversations or small group interactions. Here emotional guards can be lowered, trust can be built, and meaningful life transformation takes place.

We can learn a lot from observing how Jesus communicated in these two spaces. Although He operated in both spaces, he invested heavily in the personal space. Most of his time was dedicated to his 12 disciples, and as a result, they were the most impacted by him and had the most meaningful life change. We still experience the effects of this investment over 2000 years later.

So how does that apply to posting about Jesus on your social media? Here’s a helpful strategy: speak to the large audience of your social media space, but prioritise drawing people into your personal space to share Jesus with them.

Here are 5 tips on how you can maximise meaningful engagement with your social media account.

1. Be a Normal Person

- Intersperse your posts about Jesus with posts about your everyday life. People are primarily interested in who you are as a person. Your relationship with Jesus is best shared in the context of your everyday life. Also, if people always scroll past your Jesus posts, the social algorithms will cause them to eventually not see your posts at all.

2. Ask Questions / Polls

- Engagement is gold! There are plenty of engagement tools built into social platforms like questions, polls, sliders, and video replies. Draw people in by asking intriguing questions and utilise polls in your stories for interaction.

3. Challenge The Norm

- You can grab people's attention by using language that challenges normal cultural ideas and their perceptions of what it means to be a Christian.

4. Speak To Need

- There are many needs out in the community. Raise the topic and share how Jesus, church, and faith intersect with those needs.

5. Follow Up In DMs

- When people engage with what you post in meaningful ways, follow up with them in DMs, or ideally, in-person.

Let’s follow Jesus’ example of drawing people from the Social Space into the Personal Space.

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

Matthew 4:19

Keep in mind that while it’s nice to get many likes on our posts, every number is a person. Be intentional and prayerful about taking people deeper, even if it’s just one person.

Bella is a graphic designer and has spent most of her working life in ministry and church. Stepping out into a secular work environment was a challenge, especially when it came to bringing up her faith. But Bella discovered a simple secret that made all the difference…
   

In my life, I’ve only ever worked in Christian ministries and churches. But recently I started a new job in a totally secular environment. I’ve wanted to be serious about living life on-mission but I felt nervous about talking to people about Jesus in a natural way. The Holy Spirit challenged me to just be honest when the moment arises and I wanted to be obedient to that.

Well, the other day I was having lunch with a new friend from work and we were talking about life outside of work. I showed her some photos of my friends and my housemates, and she asked me where I met them. It was such a simple moment, but I said, “Oh, I met them all through church.” I explained how we grew close by serving on teams together for a long time at church. I mean, it’s not like I shared my testimony or led her through a prayer of salvation or anything like that, it was just a simple moment of obedient honesty.

I felt pretty nervous as we were having the conversation. I didn’t know how she was going to react. I didn’t know what her past experience of church was like. I was feeling on edge.

But as the conversation went on I kept reminding myself that I wasn’t trying to convince her of anything, I was just making a plain statement about my life. I was just sharing who I am and how I live, and that thought was really calming for me.

I realised that just being casual, honest and authentic took the pressure off. I could be obedient to the Holy Spirit and the outcome meant we grew closer as friends because we know more about each other.

The Bible says that ‘all things work together for good for those who love God’ Romans 8:28. So sharing my faith doesn’t need to be complicated, I can just be honest about my life and trust God to work out the good.

This whole experience reminded me that I don’t need to change the whole world, I just have to do my bit and be true to myself, display the heart of Jesus and be honest when Jesus comes up in conversation.

I realised that if I’m being honest and real, Jesus is going to come up in conversation because he’s such a big part of my life. So when someone says “Why do you do this? Or say that?” I can honestly answer with “Oh, it’s because I love God and I love people.”

And there it is, simple honesty.

Be honest when someone comes up to you with questions. Be honest when you’re in a conversation – if God’s a part of your life He’ll come up.

Just be honest, it doesn't have to be more complicated than that.

Henry lives life at 120%. He works hard to become an expert in whatever field or topic that he sets his mind to. From coffee to social media management and now garden maintenance, Henry is an entrepreneur with a big heart for people.
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He shared with us a recent opportunity he had to talk to a client about Jesus.

I was mowing one of my client’s lawns. He came out really excited about showing me the mirror in his house. He asked me to go look at the mirror and as I walked in I noticed the Bible. Then he showed me everything in his house. As we were walking back outside I saw the Bible again so I said, “Do you read the Bible?” And he said, “Not really. I used to. I mean I believe in God.” I told him that I go to church. That just started a whole conversation about Jesus.

This Is Henry's Story

Fast forward a few months…

Now every time I mow his lawn we pray. We’ve caught up a few times and we pray as well. He says, “I can feel the Holy Spirit.” Now he’s at the point where he really wants to come to church.

Opportunities like this are linked to how much you’re pursuing God at the time. I love what Paul says in Romans 1, “I am unashamed of the Gospel.” You can hear it in his blood. I can’t wait, every morning to share the hope and the strength that His goodness brings. The more I pursue God, the more I see the opportunities.

So, when I saw the Bible sitting there something jumped out. It was a split-second moment where I realised that this was the time to share. You become more aware of moments like these and God gives you a boldness to carry through with it.

This God-breathed boldness has made a way for many more conversations about faith and Jesus.

Henry shared another story about a workmate

‍He found a cross necklace when he was at work and was so excited to give it to me. I wanted to try and restructure the way he saw Jesus so I said, “Did you know that back in the day the cross wasn’t necessarily a nice thing for Christians, but their symbolism was a fish or an anchor because the hope that Jesus brought was the anchor for their life. So for Christianity our biggest symbol is hope.” He said to me, “I could go for some hope!”

From there it was a natural conversation talking about that and how Jesus is what you wake up for and He’s what gets you through the hard times. So that opened us up to talk more about what he’s struggling with and how Jesus could be the answer to his life.

The way you share Jesus with people who don’t yet know Him, is by talking about what He’s changed in you. You can argue the theology or why He’s real, but people see Jesus through the change in you. So sharing what He’s done in your life is always the best way.

We experience change through our own personal devotion and intimacy with Jesus. The result is life just like Henry has described — awareness of the opportunities all around us and a story of our own transformation.

Having a friend tell you that they want to learn more about Jesus is a really exciting experience. It can feel like a huge and wonderful responsibility; like you’re finally living out your purpose as a Christian (insert an adrenaline rush and praise songs here).
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Easter is a common time for people to start asking questions about Jesus. While you might feel prepared to begin this journey with them, have you thought about the long-haul, or the potential for future disappointment? It’s important to prepare yourself for that, too.

What to do when a friend loses interest. When your friend first asks you about Jesus, you’ll naturally want to expose them to everything—Bible studies, church services, paying them a visit, giving them a Bible, or sending them sermons to watch online. In fact, you might have to “play it cool” and hold yourself back from bombarding them with too much information.

If your friend is receptive, you’ll get to witness them engaging with church for the first time and seeing their eyes light up when they learn new truths about the Bible, and about themselves. This can bring intense joy and fulfilment—both to them, and to you.

But sometimes as they journey with you, they might stop replying to your messages. They might stop turning up to Bible studies, asking questions, or showing interest. This can be really disappointing. You might start to wonder if they were offended by something you said, or if you came on too strong. You might even doubt God and His plan.

When spiritual conversations or relationships lose momentum, what should you do?

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Step 1: Learn from the disciples

Firstly, you can take encouragement from the disciples’ experience. Walking with Jesus for 3 years, the disciples witnessed incredible miracles, teachings and grew in their relationship with God. But even though Jesus preached about a heavenly Kingdom and His death, they didn’t understand what He meant.

When Jesus died and lay in the tomb on Saturday, the disciples didn’t know what to do. They were devastated and began to doubt. How could their Messiah be the Son of God if He was dead? Were the last three years of their lives all a lie?

If a friend loses interest in their Christian journey, you might start to doubt and question too. Did your friend actually like coming to church, or were they just being polite? Were the revelations they experienced genuine, or just emotional highs?

When Jesus rose again on the third day, suddenly the whole gospel message made sense. Jesus was the Son of God because He had conquered death! This spurred the disciples on and they began to spread the Gospel with their communities, and the wider world. God had been in control the whole time.

Step 2: Get practical

If you have a friend who has lost interest in Jesus, take heart.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world”

John 16:33

God’s still in control, and He’s doing everything in His power to bring them back into a relationship with Him. But there are practical steps you can take, as well:

Pray

Pray that the Holy Spirit will open your friends’ eyes to the importance of Jesus, the Bible and being in Christian community. Pray that their desire for Jesus will be revived.

Connect

Send your friend a DM asking if they want to catch up for a meal or coffee. If you’re afraid you might scare them away, you can even say, “I promise I won’t be pushy or talk about church if you don’t want to, I just want to see how you’re going.”

Invite

If you think your friend would be open to it, invite them to your church’s Easter service. Easter is a popular time for even nominal Christians to attend church, so it can be a non-threatening opportunity.

If you have a friend who’s lost touch with your church community recently, Easter is a great time to get in contact. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday—don’t waste the opportunity! And who knows—just like Jesus rose on the third day, there could be a wonderful spiritual journey still in store for your friend too. You just wait and see!

“I want to talk to people about Jesus, but I just don’t know where to start”.

Life is full and it’s easy to forget you have a helper—the Holy Spirit - John 14:26 for moments like this! Listening to the Holy Spirit is the place to start. He will speak to you and guide you when you need Him.

Let’s face it, listening to the Holy Spirit is a pretty strange concept. How exactly does it work? When does He talk? How do I know if it is Him or my own mind talking? Or did I just drink too much coffee at lunch time?

In the same way you know the voice of your mum or a good friend, you can learn to know the voice of the Holy Spirit by listening to Him, understanding more about Him, and good old fashioned trial and error.

Let’s set some foundations: 

The Holy Spirit IS God and shares in the God-head with God the Father and Jesus - that’s the Trinity. He spoke to Christians throughout the Bible, is our helper John 14:26 and He is a good gift from God. The Holy Spirit definitely is a mysterious expression of God, but this is exciting and should cause us to be curious and learn more about Him.

The Holy Spirit will give us guidance when we need Him. There are many examples of the Holy Spirit moving and guiding people in the Bible Luke 2:27-32, 2 Peter 1:21, Acts 8:29-31, if you talk to enough Christians you will discover that He continues to do so today. So, spend time listening to Him. He may speak through a Bible verse that suddenly stands out to you or it might be a thought or emotion that hits you as you’re praying. When it comes to sharing your faith He may guide you in a moment or conversation, encouraging you to say or do something. Sometimes you might suddenly recall a Bible verse, or a story or something your pastor once said. Sometimes it’s a strong feeling or urge to talk about a particular topic. Try following that guidance and see where the Holy Spirit leads the conversation.

The Holy Spirit is trustworthy. Although you might be cautious of whether the Spirit is speaking, you can be sure to trust Him when He is. God promises to work together all things for our good Romans 8:28, but that doesn’t mean you always get what you want, it means you always get what is good. So, trust the Holy Spirit to guide your life and conversations about Jesus knowing that God is good and He is working all things for good.

The Holy Spirit should be pursued

The Bible tells us to be filled with the Holy Spirit Ephesians 5:18 To “be filled” in the Greek (the original language in the Bible) means that it is an activity that is ongoing, it’s something that happens to you and you are commanded to pursue it. But how do you do this? Spend time being thankful to God Psalm 100:4 consider the times he has been good to you and thank Him for it. Repent and apologise to God for the wrong things you have done Psalm 66:18 and trust that God has more grace for you than any sin you might commit.

In your conversations about Jesus, be aware that the Holy Spirit might be speaking to you. Listen to His voice and follow it the best you can.

As a Christian, you’re often told that you should get excited when people ask you about your faith—like it’s the best thing that could ever happen to you. But . . . if instead of excitement you feel dread, anxiety or shame, you’re not alone.
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Sharing your faith can be a stressful experience for many reasons. Maybe:

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Sometimes, we think that our sins or imperfections make us unqualified to share the gospel. If you struggle with feelings of unworthiness, having someone ask you “so what has Jesus done in your life?” can be awkward. You might feel like a fake, or a fraud—as though your sinful thoughts or habits cancel out any previous work Jesus has done in your life.

Church culture usually doesn’t help, either. For centuries, many Christian denominations have—consciously or not—upheld arbitrary standards of “perfection” that Christians should aspire to, which might make you feel like you’re not good enough to be loved by God.

This is all one massive, poisonous lie, and it’s actually a fundamental misunderstanding of what the gospel message is. The gospel isn’t that Jesus has made you perfect. It’s that even though you are a sinner, Jesus died for you and chooses to love you, every millisecond of every day Romans 5:8. And nothing you can do will ever change that Romans 8:39!The gospel is for you, too.

It’s tempting to believe that the gospel is for others, but not for us. This is toxic thinking, and simply not true! The Bible says that when Jesus died at Easter time, HE

“personally carried our sins in his body on the cross”
1 Peter 2:24

In other words, Jesus—being fully God and fully human—carried all the sins committed by every person on earth. That includes you! He has seen and felt all your insecurities, shame, trauma, jealousy, self-hatred and selfishness. As humans, we can’t fully understand this. Our human bodies limit the amount of physical and emotional pain we can carry. But He carried all of it. He knows every intimate detail about you, and He still loves you infinitely.

So, what was that you said about not feeling “good enough”? If the Creator of the universe thought you were good enough to die for, then you’re good enough to do anything! (Yes, even share your faith).

Here are some things to remember next time you feel unworthy:

Remember the gospel message is for YOU!

Despite your sin, God loves you infinitely. That’s the real good news! It can be tempting to think that it only applies to other people . . . but nope! The gospel is for you too.

Remember that you don’t have to fix yourself: By universal standards, humans are imperfect beings. And there is nothing we can do to change that John 3:6-7. God is the only one capable of changing us from the inside out. Trust that He’s in control of that process.

Seek Jesus in prayer: Take some quiet time and tell Jesus how you feel. Ask Him for forgiveness and a new heart Psalm 51:10, and thank Him for loving you no matter what.

Be honest when you tell your story: Opening up and honestly telling your friend, “Jesus has done so much in my life, but I still struggle and have a way to go” is far more encouraging than pretending to be perfect. It makes God’s love accessible to everyone.

If you’ve been feeling discouraged because you believe your sin makes you unqualified to share Jesus, take heart this Easter. God took your sin to the cross. You’ve been forgiven. Just as He rose from death to life, He wants to give you a new life free of sin Ezekiel 36:26.

Pray that God will give you a new heart this Easter, and that the Holy Spirit will be with you as you share, even the messy bits.