Have you read this beautiful post by Debbie Eaton? It’s about commissioned moments, moments when we have opportunities to share how much God loves us and to lead people to Him. Debbie writes about taking advantage of those moments, but she points out that we often miss these opportunities.

I’m cringing as I realize how right she is.

I’ve been thinking about why I miss these commissioned moments and what I can do to change that. I want to take advantage of them. I want to look back on my life and see that I used every opportunity to live in a Christ-like way.

I want to be a fisher of men, as they say, but here’s what gets in my way:

• Being introverted. I have a difficult time getting through small talk, much less past it and to the point of talking about something meaningful. When I read about Debbie’s commissioned moment, I realized that I never would have thought to do what she did, mostly because I keep to myself in situations with people I don’t know very well. I don’t want this trait to keep me from helping someone who needs it. Debbie listened to the voice that told her that young man needed her; I need to listen, too.
• Worrying what people will think. Unfortunately, I worry about sharing too much about God with strangers—and even some friends, really—because I worry about their reactions. What if they’re angry at God and don’t want to hear about Him? What if they don’t believe in God and will scoff at me for being a believer? What if they think their religious beliefs are none of my business and order me away? These kinds of worries hold me back. I need to take more chances, realizing that if I’m being kind and respectful, people probably won’t react too negatively. And if they do, I’ll still be okay.
• Being self-absorbed. This has been a stressful, difficult season for me, and while I know it’s reasonable for me to be wrapped up in these emotions to an extent, I need to stop using them as an excuse to ignore other people’s needs. One of my first reactions to Debbie’s piece was, “Oh, how wonderful! Someday when I have more time and energy, I’ll do this for someone, too.” Enough of that mentality. The time is now. In fact, helping someone else might even alleviate some of that stress, helping me, too.

What’s holding you back from taking advantage of commissioned moments? Do you have any advice for helping me overcome what gets in my way of these moments? Maybe with a little encouragement, we can help one another become better disciples.