An Introvert's Testimony
I’m an introvert. I truly enjoy my time alone. How introverted am I? I literally took a trip to the middle of the desert in the heat of July on the other side of the country in order to have a getaway experience with the Lord and myself. And it was a state of bliss.
I shared a testimony this past Sunday during worship. If you know me, you will know this is a big step for me because I am a very private individual. I don’t like people to know when I’m hurting, when I’m sick, or most anything else that may be going on in my home. This comes not only from being an introvert but also seeing so many people in the past who, I felt, abused the concept of “prayer requests” and used it as a platform to beg or plea for sympathy and attention. I never want others to pity me or my family. Some would say this is to a fault – they say things like “Don’t block your blessing!”
One of my brothers at the church came up to me Sunday and told me he had no idea what I have been going through. I told him, “That was the idea…”. He didn’t laugh. He said, “We NEED to pray for you.” That really hit me. I didn’t know how to take it, and I was immediately ashamed of how I have carried my burdens on my own for so long. There are literally people who want to pray for you and be there for you.
Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” When I read this I had to understand what this “law of Christ” was. Many Bible scholars consider this to be what Christ stated were the greatest commandments – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and all your strength” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:28-31).
When I selfishly keep some of these burdens such as bodily pain, sickness, grief, job situations, and other things that are not necessarily caused by me to myself, I deny some of my closest people that I call brothers and sisters the opportunity to help fulfill the law of Christ. In my own arrogance of saying, “I can do this on my own.”, I negate the fact that God has called us to community ON PURPOSE. This was not merely a suggestion; it was a command. There is nowhere in the Bible where God says his people are to be in isolation apart from the body. We are called the body of Christ because we are to work as one unit in spirit and in movement.
As a leader, I cannot feel like only I can help others carry their burdens – I have got to release something for others to help carry also. Such is THEIR fulfillment of the law. Give someone the opportunity to pray for you. This can be built into your discipleship of those around you. You may be discipling people you don’t even know just by this simple gesture. I’m not saying you need to expose your deepest darkest secrets to everyone in the world but what I am saying is we are called to this – to love one another, to help one another, and to pray for one another.
Begin to analyze your life and see what God is allowing you to release to allow someone to help you carry it. You may be surprised that your help that you have been praying for all this time may be right in front of you if you allow the Spirit to guide you in your testimony. God bless you.
Rooted In Love,
Pastor Thaddaeus
I shared a testimony this past Sunday during worship. If you know me, you will know this is a big step for me because I am a very private individual. I don’t like people to know when I’m hurting, when I’m sick, or most anything else that may be going on in my home. This comes not only from being an introvert but also seeing so many people in the past who, I felt, abused the concept of “prayer requests” and used it as a platform to beg or plea for sympathy and attention. I never want others to pity me or my family. Some would say this is to a fault – they say things like “Don’t block your blessing!”
One of my brothers at the church came up to me Sunday and told me he had no idea what I have been going through. I told him, “That was the idea…”. He didn’t laugh. He said, “We NEED to pray for you.” That really hit me. I didn’t know how to take it, and I was immediately ashamed of how I have carried my burdens on my own for so long. There are literally people who want to pray for you and be there for you.
Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” When I read this I had to understand what this “law of Christ” was. Many Bible scholars consider this to be what Christ stated were the greatest commandments – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and all your strength” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:28-31).
When I selfishly keep some of these burdens such as bodily pain, sickness, grief, job situations, and other things that are not necessarily caused by me to myself, I deny some of my closest people that I call brothers and sisters the opportunity to help fulfill the law of Christ. In my own arrogance of saying, “I can do this on my own.”, I negate the fact that God has called us to community ON PURPOSE. This was not merely a suggestion; it was a command. There is nowhere in the Bible where God says his people are to be in isolation apart from the body. We are called the body of Christ because we are to work as one unit in spirit and in movement.
As a leader, I cannot feel like only I can help others carry their burdens – I have got to release something for others to help carry also. Such is THEIR fulfillment of the law. Give someone the opportunity to pray for you. This can be built into your discipleship of those around you. You may be discipling people you don’t even know just by this simple gesture. I’m not saying you need to expose your deepest darkest secrets to everyone in the world but what I am saying is we are called to this – to love one another, to help one another, and to pray for one another.
Begin to analyze your life and see what God is allowing you to release to allow someone to help you carry it. You may be surprised that your help that you have been praying for all this time may be right in front of you if you allow the Spirit to guide you in your testimony. God bless you.
Rooted In Love,
Pastor Thaddaeus
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