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Don't Be Ashamed
Don't Be Ashamed
Trouble started for me at school soon after I became a Christian in 1973.
The changes in me were drastic and class mates and friends noticed how I changed from a rebel, despite me not being preachy. However, I did share the conversion that happened to me. They knew something was different.
Suddenly I was more confident and answered the questions aimed at me with clarity, except the very intellectual and "academic" questions about God. All I knew is that Jesus had changed my life - I felt at peace, strong and forgiven.
The academics in my class made life difficult for me by constantly baggering me with questions to discredit me.
The only answer I often had is "I can't answer that but I know I met Jesus and He changed me".
As I look back now. I see how the Holy Spirit guided me in ways that I didn't need to defend myself.
I went on to start a thriving Bible Study that led to a mini-revival at school! All thanks to the God who took this shy, insecure young disciple and made something good out of the "piece of clay".
And today? I am studying apologetics as a way to discuss and defend my faith in better ways than some 49 years ago.
God is able to turn our difficulties and troubles into deep blessings and lessons.
"But if you receive trouble because you are a Christian, do not be ashamed about that. Instead, you should thank God that you belong to Christ. 1 Peter 4:16 EasyEnglish Bible 2018
"Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 1 Peter 4:16 (ESV)