Day 19: How to Reply

Jeremiah 10:1-11:23

Colossians 3:18-4:18

Psalm 78:56-72

Proverbs 24:28-29

I've had an interesting past two days... I'm kinda just in a funk. Going to church today was encouraging. I always get really moody when I wake up, I want to sleep more, I don't want to go through the effort of getting dressed and going to set up for church. But I always really enjoy myself when I'm there, not that that's what it's about, but I love leading worship and hanging out with the people there.

But I've been in this funk because I hate this feeling I still have that I don't know what I want to do. I don't know what God wants me to do! And it's frustrating because I want to have answers.

But today I've been learning that life not about "having answers" but it's about how you answer.

"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone" (Col. 4:5-6).

This reminded me of a book I read at Biola, The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission by John Dickson.

Dickson talks about how when Paul says you must know how to "answer" everyone, it means the word "reply."

"This doesn't mean we have to wait for others to say something about Christ before we respond with an answer! The Lord will bless whatever statements about the faith, prompted or unprompted...most of our opportunities to answer for Christ will come in passing conversations, not in one-off gospel presentations."

I really loved this book for how encouraging he is in evangelism and writing so clearly. This passage is obviously speaking specifically about evangelism, but if I may, I'd like to apply it in another way. I think it is applicable always, to "reply with statements of faith," to "reply with Christ," no matter who you are talking to, even if you are just talking to yourself. How often do we preach Christ to ourselves?

When I am in these moments feeling "in a funk," how will I reply to my circumstances? I need to remember who Jesus is and that He is for me. I need to preach that to myself!

I know this is a weird interpretation of this verse, and probably not at all Paul's intention, so this goes against everything I was ever taught at Bible college. But I still think what I'm saying is true.

And now that I've preached it at myself...how do I begin to believe it?

Lord I believe, help my unbelief.