I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus.
I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.
Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.
Philemon 4-7
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There’s a hidden blessing available to us when we take the time to share our faith with others.
Most of us think of it as something we do for others—to introduce them to Jesus, to help them see the hope and love found in Him. And that’s true. After all, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14).
But according to Paul in his letter to Philemon, something else happens when we share our faith: we grow in our own understanding of Christ.
He writes it this way, “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.”
Read that again in case you missed it.
When we talk about Jesus with others, we aren’t just helping them—we are deepening our own faith, growing in our own understanding..
Think about it. When we speak of humanity’s sinfulness, we are reminded of ours. When we share about God’s grace, we’re reminded of the grace we’ve received. When we testify to His goodness, we grow in our awareness of it. When we retell the story of Christ’s death and resurrection, we remind ourselves. And when we explain the joy of following Christ, we experience that joy more fully.
Sharing our faith is an invitation to grow. It benefits the person we tell, it benefits us when we share the gospel, and it benefits the Lord as we glorify Him and grow His kingdom.
And there’s even more.
Paul also mentions at the end of our passage today that Philemon’s love and faith “have given him joy, encouragement, and refreshment.” When we live out our faith openly, we don’t just bless those who don’t yet know Jesus and we don’t just grow in our own understanding. We strengthen and encourage other believers around us.
So today, take a step. Share a story of how God has been at work in your life. Speak about your faith naturally and openly. Not just because someone else needs to hear it—but because you need to speak it.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, give me opportunities to share my faith today. Help me look for opportunities and make the most of them when they appear. Amen.