Unashamed

Romans 1:16

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”

In Romans 1:16, Paul writes, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” I find myself slowing down when I read that. Not rushing past it, but sitting with it – because if I’m honest, there have been moments when I’ve felt hesitant, unsure, or even quiet when I should have been confident.

And yet, the more I reflect, the more I realize that my hesitation has never come from the gospel itself. It has come from my own fears – fear of how I’ll be perceived, fear of saying the wrong thing, fear of not having all the answers. But the gospel was never dependent on my ability to explain it perfectly. It has always been the power of God.

There’s something deeply comforting in that. The gospel is not fragile. It doesn’t need me to carry it as if it might break. Instead, it carries me. It has met me in my own brokenness, in the quiet places where I’ve wrestled with doubt, sin, and weariness. It has reminded me that salvation is not something I achieve – it is something I receive through surrender and trust.

When Paul says he is “not ashamed,” I don’t hear arrogance. I hear confidence rooted in experience. A confidence that comes from knowing what the gospel has done in his life. And that’s where this begins to feel personal for me. Because when I look back, I can see the ways God has been at work – softening my heart, redirecting my steps, and patiently drawing me closer.

Being unashamed, then, isn’t about striving to be bold in my own strength. It’s about remembering. Remembering what Christ has done. Remembering that His power is still at work, even when I feel weak. It’s about quietly trusting that the same gospel that changed me is still able to reach others.

Maybe living unashamed starts in the small moments – choosing to trust God in a conversation, choosing to stand firm in truth with gentleness, choosing to believe that His power is enough. Not because I feel strong, but because He is.