Let Go of Your Shame and Guilt: Tell Others Your Testimony

I love that about the Bible- you can read something over and over, yet still get something new. Such is the case with the story: The Woman at the Well.

John 4:39-42 KJV "And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that I ever did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word. And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world"

You see, "the woman at the well" was/is notorious in Samaria for her dirt. HELLO SOMEBODY! That's me, but I digress... She KNEW that she had met the Christ and immediately after her encounter, she ran to testify to others to tell them exactly what He had done for her. This sparked others to seek Him and led to them believing his word- HER TESTIMONY OF MEETING CHRIST! They didn't believe just because of this lady's testimony, but her testimony aroused their interested and which led to their belief in Christ. WOW! That wrecked me this morning! That's powerful! I so believe in divine appointment. You never know who God has appointed in your life at any given time, just for the sake of you planting a seed by testifying of what He has done in your life. I have to live with a broader view of the people around me. So often, we get caught up in ourselves with a "WOE IS ME" tunnel-vision-way of approaching things, but that's SO not God's will for us.

COMPLETE confirmation for me with this blog and some of the things He is purposing in me! God has delivered me from SOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH junk in my life- SO MUCH! For so long, I've been so ashamed and embarrassed that I've force myself to withhold telling people about what God has done because I didn't want to be judged for my past, for people to scoff in disbelief, remind me of my dirt, etc. But this woman, she forsook her guilt and shame and RAN TO TESTIFY. Her encounter with Christ was so mind blowing that she couldn't help but to run to tell others. WOW!

My heart was wrecked because I see me in this woman and can empathize with her, but I was also wrecked in the sense of being convicted. I KNOW that God has worked in my life, time after time after time, but do I run immediately and tell others who are lost and don't believe? No. I may tell my family or other saved folks, but do we ever stop and think that God did not save us to keep it to ourselves? At the immediate time that we see God move in our lives, we should be compelled to run and tell others of what God has done so that they too may be intrigued to seek God for themselves. WOW. I fail. I have failed that test. My heart was wrecked at the same time I received a spanking from God in reading that lol!
 UPDATE: just got Instagram and saw this. Confirmation!

Seeking Growth In God,

Dear God, wow! You are so good! You're so awesome! Your word is perfect and so ON TIME! I'm so convicted. Sometimes we spend so much time running from our past guilt and shame, we neglect the fact that you washed away all of our sins which includes our guilt and shame. We don't have to walk in that anymore, Lord. Help us not be so afraid of what man may say, when we have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. Instead, help us to allow our life, the good and the bad, to be a forever testament to Your goodness. Use our testimonies to bring others to you. Empower us to forsake the worry of what others will say and focus solely on how You can be glorified through our imperfections. Use us, Lord. We must decrease as You increase. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Take My Life (Holiness)- Micah Stampley
It's Already Done- The Pace Sisters
Your Great Name/Forever Reign- Anthony Evans