Little nervous to be a witness

[water]

I’ve kept something to myself for quite 2 years now and prayed about it but sometimes it is still bothering me - when being bothered, I have a slight discouragement about giving a witness regarding to my conversion. In few months, I will be giving a witness for probably a group of about 20 to 25 people about my life. I know in my heart that this is God’s will, but therre is always something that seems to discourage me from time to time.

Two years ago, through the Charismatic retreat, my life has been changing. After the retreat, I gave a witness about my life, and some how a few people remember the bad things I told them in the witness and seemed to be distant from me for awhile.

What really encouraged me is that someone in that retreat started to change after hearing my witness; but the thought of others about me bothered me somehow.

Have you ever been a witness talking about your past life and had to deal with the negative feedback? How do you handle that in your prayful life?

PS: I wasn’t even sure if I should’ve not posted this thread…

 

[ForwardProgress]

I had to give mine in front of the whole 9AM mass congregation! I was very general, though…just said how far away I had grown from the Church when I was really close as a kid, and how I disobeyed many teachings that the church considered grave, etc…

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Good advice!
Personally, I dont think we should of necessity share painful memories with all and sundry. We need to exercise prudence…I agree with ForwardProgress to keep things general without going into details.

Have you ever been a witness talking about your past life and had to deal with the negative feedback? How do you handle that in your prayful life?

Yes, I often speak about my past life but I am discerning and exercise prudence about to whom I may do so and at what level. Re negative feedback. Jesus was scoffed at and it was remarked “what good can come out of Nazareth” and this was his then hometown people in Capernaum…let alonewhat He endured in His Passion. I find this of some comfort, but negative feedback about oneself is always painful. How to handle it in my prayerlife - I talk to Jesus about with simplicity and openness - my honest feelings. I do find that with anything negative after a few days the feeling level of pain does dimish and pass - hence I give myself time to get over it all.

My advice still would be however to keep it all general rather than give details.

Blessings, good luck and may The Holy Spirit watch over and guide you…Barb

 

[water]

Thanks ForwardProgress and Barb,

This coming witness is more confidential and I am more confident. I prayed lots about it and knew what need to be said.

 

[MarieVeronica]

I have a slight discouragement about giving a witness regarding to my conversion…

… I gave a witness about my life, and some how a few people remember the bad things I told them in the witness and seemed to be distant from me for awhile.

Have you ever been a witness talking about your past life and had to deal with the negative feedback? How do you handle that in your prayful life?

Hi water. Yes, this has happened to me… as well. But please don’t let it disturb you. In all things, give thanks to Him… Who, in His Mercy… has brought you (and me… and so many others) back into His fold.

I think that often, the Enemy will be permitted to make us feel this way; But you can turn it around, by offering what you suffer to Our Lord… and in that way, we become humble… in serving Him. Isn’t that amazing! Jesus can take the situation, and bend it around… to purify our souls.

I have a certain person now, in my life… who is a constant source of humiliation to me. It used to “bug” me… but I’m coming to perceive her now… as a blessing from Jesus. Because she really loves to put me in “my place”. lol. God bless her. In her efforts to humiliate me… I believe that Jesus is working on my soul. Instead of being angry at her… I now pray for her well-being and happiness.

Hope this helps some. God bless.

 

[Ted_in_Charlott]

I have heard St Francis of Assisi quoted many times about witnessing. “Sometimes witness with words”.

Some people are called to witness through visiting the sick and lonely and old. Some are called to witness via serving in their parish, diocese or Catholic School. Some are called to visit prisons, some to help children read, some to teach a second language. Some to teach in RCIA, some to help raise money, some be eucharistic ministers, ushers, greeters.

A lay minister can share the gospel, but it is a lot easier when you are feeding someone when they are hungry, or grieving with someone.

Let me tell you a small part of my conversion to Catholitism story. I was at home watching tv one night and I was channel surfing. I stopped on a channel for a moment of an evangelical protestent. He was ranting and raving and talking about Jesus wants you to be rich so you need to send him money. He was dressed to the T’s and said he drove a big car and had a big house, etc. I then went to the next channel and I was fascinated by an old, crippled up, bald, fat monk. He was talking about poverty and service and charity. He was wearing a very simple outfit, he talked slowly and then he started talking about what his ministry was involved in. They are located in NYC and after 911 they went out to ground zero and they were having Mass for fingers and toes, as that was all was left of some people. You can imagine for a moment how touched I was. I wanted the peace this man, I came later to know as Fr. Groschel, was talking about, the love, the kindness the calmness.

Missionaries of the Poor is another fabulous ministry that truly cares about the poor and sick and dying and the old in the poorest places in the world. I hope after I retire I can join them in the Philippines.

I guess the moral to this story is: if you do good works, people will notice, and that my friends is the best witness of all.

 

[water]

Hi water. Yes, this has happened to me… as well. But please don’t let it disturb you. In all things, give thanks to Him… Who, in His Mercy… has brought you (and me… and so many others) back into His fold.

I think that often, the Enemy will be permitted to make us feel this way; But you can turn it around, by offering what you suffer to Our Lord… and in that way, we become humble… in serving Him. Isn’t that amazing! Jesus can take the situation, and bend it around… to purify our souls.

Hope this helps some. God bless.

It helps a lot. Thanks MarieVeronica.

 

[water]

I guess the moral to this story is: if you do good works, people will notice, and that my friends is the best witness of all.

Thanks Ted. I agree with you. Just to be sure that we are on the same page, my concern was not about how to be a witness, but more about the courage to be a witness again after being judged for being a witness espeically by people who organized the program. This coming event will not be organized by the same group of people.

 

[Didi]

So many times after I have make the commitment to speak at a retreat or Lent event or something, I start to have my doubts. I feel like a hypocrite (who are YOU to speak about this…). I know that is the spiritual enemy attacking, so I’m learning to pray for spiritual protection as I commit to things.

A few years back I was speaking during Lent about prayer and I had a really horrible day that day (physically and emotionally). When I got to the Church I went to Jesus in the Tabernacle and said “Lord, I’m having a rough day. I’m not feeling strong physically; and spiritually, as You know, I have not prayed much today. But I do feel You called me to do this, and You said You could us as we are to minister for You. So here I am, work through me because I can’t do it on my own.”

It ended up being one of the better presentations I’ve done.

Unfortunately we will always have people judging us, so we can’t worry about what others will think of us. Like you said before, if you touch only one person, you have done your work for the Lord!

 

[beckycmarie]

Dear Water,

I like to look at things like this from the perspective of spiritual warfare.

Satan and his demons hate it when we do things that could lead ourselves or others to Heaven. They hate it so much, that they will plant doubts and put obstacles in our way to discourage us from doing things that lead to God.

Think of it as a compliment. If you aren’t doing anything for the Kingdom, then the devils generally leave you alone. It’s when we ourselves experience conversion, or lead others to conversion, that we get on Satan’s radar.

 

[fhansen]

Dear Water,

I like to look at things like this from the perspective of spiritual warfare.

Satan and his demons hate it when we do things that could lead ourselves or others to Heaven. They hate it so much, that they will plant doubts and put obstacles in our way to discourage us from doing things that lead to God.

Think of it as a compliment. If you aren’t doing anything for the Kingdom, then the devils generally leave you alone. It’s when we ourselves experience conversion, or lead others to conversion, that we get on Satan’s radar.

I agree with this. It’s never easy to get up and share and we do need to be discerning about how we do it but sometimes I think Catholics can tend to be a little too private about our faith. Maybe we think we’re showing off. But St. Paul said that if he were to boast in anything he’d boast not in himself but rather in the things of God- what God had done in his life- and I can’t help but think that anytime were unashamed to share about what God’s done in our lives-big or small-and to encourage other people who may be struggling with the same sin or doubt we have, or simply to proclaim in some way the glory and majesty of God, we are doing a great thing. And it gets easier the next time.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Another thought that occured to me is that in any new or relatively new situation, it is completely normal to feel anxiety and especially if that new situation is going to ask something of us quite personal. It comes under a really natural “fear or timidity in face of the unknown”. At these times too either our own imagination or indeed Satan can exploit our natural disposition to nerves with endless “what if’s”…and what I find comforting to myself is “well they can’t shoot me”. Over and above that any form of persecution or suffering endured for doing some form of good/good work comes under Matthew Chapter 5:

11

• Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: 12 Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you. 13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing any more but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men. 14

You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. 15

Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house. 16 So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

 

[water]

Thank you all again for your support and advices.
God bless.