This is what I want to do .......... I want to be able to communicate and impart in a way, that will be life changing for people. Since young, when I hear speakers, the ones whom I will remember will be the ones who have spoken something that has "awaken" me that caused me to have a life changing experience. I'm not sure if that's for you, but it is for me. Even for teachers in my primary and secondary school. The ones who impacted me most, are not the ones who praise me and give me good marks. But they are the ones who have spoken LIFE into me, and spoken ENCOURAGEMENT into me, and have INSPIRED me to higher heights. They are the ones whom I remember distinctly because they have changed my life. Hahaha........but as I write this, I also realise that I remember clearly the hurting words of some teachers, even way back to Primary school. This goes to show that the words that we speak can build and change life for the better, or it can tear and change life for the worst.
Anyway, I have been reading this book by Andy Stanley and Lane Jones, on "Communicating for a Change". I am challenged to feel that I need to grow in my communication, not for the sake to be a better public speaker, but for the sake of God's Kingdom. I learn that when we communicate, especially the Word of God, it is teaching people about the Bible, not teaching the Bible to the people. (Leave you to ponder on this :) )
And as well............our goal of communication should be to see life change. I learn that it is easy to grow in communication, but it is not easy to be able to communicate and see life change. I realise that there is so much that we need to rely on God, that as we communicate, that we communicate His heart to the people, His heart for the people is something that God desires for His people to know. His love, his grace and His holiness is something that God desires for people to understand and relate. When we teach and share the Word of God, it is not just communicating a knowledge and principle, but it is about imparting the heart of God, so that there can be life change.
I have been pondering upon this for a couple of weeks (that's why I'm reading what I'm reading).....and have been asking God to show me how can I communicate and impart the Word of God that it will bring about life change. I don't just want people to remember what I share (in terms of the knowledge and principle), but I want people to become convicted through the Word that I share, and through that, people can respond to God, and not to me. That will bring life change then. It is not about how well I can "put flowers" into my sharing, but it is about God's spirit and convictions flowing through and into the lives of others.
One thing that truly still resonates in my heart, from the book, is "INTERNALIZE THE MESSAGE". That's when I realise that I need to internalize my message more, not just about memorizing it, but about relating and identifying with it, convicted about it that the sharing comes out like a heart-felt sharing. This brings me to a very clear message, that I need to grow deeper with God, I need to have those personal breakthroughs, that I need to deepen in all those personal convictions, and that comes through the personal time and relationship I have with God. The internalization does not come because I memorize the message. It comes because God brought it to life in you. That is how one can internalize it deeper.
When I look at it, I realise that every time I deliver a sharing or teaching, when the sharing was inspired by God, I found it a lot easier to impart. But when it is brought out through research and preparation, it is a lot harder to impart. And that's when I said to myself, "Joy, it is time to prepare your hearts before God, not before man." And that's when I pray and ask God to show me in those areas, what I need to grow in.
Anyway.......what I want to share with you all today is that even communication is not a skill in itself. It is an empowerment from God, and to communciate for life change, we need to be changed by God too.
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