Every month we are bringing you concrete tips and ideas around a particular outreach theme. Every month we are bringing you concrete tips and ideas around a particular outreach theme.
Not the Right Time?
by Pastor Jason Taber, Pastor of Outreach
Here is something that happens to me a lot: I know I’m in a faith conversation—I hear a breakdown moment, I ask questions, and I might even know what good news would be… but when it comes to sharing that, I decide it’s not the right time.
Has that ever happened to you? You know you should or could say something, and you know (at least mostly) what to say, but then you conclude it’s not the right time? There are lots of reasons we might come to that conclusion. But I’m not sure stopping short is the best move.
Think about what that means for my friend. I’ve just finished asking a lot of questions to let them talk, they’ve shared a lot of things they’re struggling with, then I say “well, that’s tough.” That’s not a helpful answer for them. They could get a better answer than that from Google!
Ultimately, what I have come to notice is that every time I have concluded it’s “not the right time” to share good news with a friend, I later recognized that reaction was more about my anxiety than anything to do with the situation or their willingness to hear. How did I come to that? By reflecting myself—on what I was thinking in the moment (anxious thoughts) and the physical sensations I was experiencing, which match the ones I have when I’m nervous.
If you’re nervous, that’s okay! Jesus never said we have to be confident all the time. But remember, faith conversation is like a muscle: The more you exercise it, the stronger it will get. So even if you don’t share because you’re nervous, recognizing it—rather than chalking it up to “not the right time”—is an important step in eventually growing stronger by working through that anxiety.
