Have you ever had someone ask you questions about Jesus and salvation? I've had people who didn't know the story of Jesus ask me about Him. They had no idea about salvation, the cross, or the Savoir who died there for their sins.
The first time I had someone tell me they didn't know about Jesus I was shocked. I was in high school and assumed every one knew His story, even if they didn't live it, or accept it. Call me naive, but I thought the only people who didn't know about Jesus were in far off countries where we sent the missionaries. (Remember, I was young and still in high school) Since then, I've had others ask me questions and been able to give them a Bible and try to answer their questions.
I've also had people tell me they know the story of Jesus, but they don't accept it or believe the Bible. Some of the people who asked me questions never accepted Jesus as their Savior as far as I know.
When this happened, I doubted myself. If I'd just found the right words, pleaded the case differently, then they would have accepted Jesus. I'd failed them and Jesus by not convincing them of their need of a Savior.
Have you ever felt this way?
I let it cripple me for months after one of the people I'd witnessed to passed away. But thankfully, Jesus broke through the lies of the enemy. He whispered these sweet words of freedom to my soul, “You are not responsible for someone else's salvation. You're responsible for telling them of me, but only they can make the choice to follow me.”
I don't know about you, but this was a huge weight off my shoulders. While it still saddens me when someone doesn't believe, I no longer take it as a personal failure. I do take it as an opportunity to love them and pray over them, but to release them and their belief to Jesus, where it should be.
Have you ever experience this? How did it affect you? How do you handle it?
Jesus is a Jewish fiction, made up for non Jewish peoples enslavement. He doesn’t exist , and is as real as Santa or Thor and Odin or any other fluff. When you suffer in this world only you can change things. Read the book of chronicles the whole premise of the good book is based off Jewish lineage, that book wasn’t written for me. And How does god allow uncontrollable bad consequences for life to happen when he knows all things from beginning to end? Are some people born to literally suffer and then die? The answer is there is no god.
Oh so sad. There is a God. You only need to look at the wonders of this world to see him in his creation. The Bible is a living word. Just as much for today as years past. You can count the fulfilled prophecies in the new testament that were written in the old. Jesus has fulfilled so many of them. God gave us free will. That is why we are living in such a tragic world. He cares greatly for all of us. I’ve lived and seen his miracles first hand. He cries with us over all the insanity of this world. But as a believer our hope is eternal life guaranteed by belief in his son Jesus. I pray you look again to an evangelical church to show you the way to Jesus. It’ll change your life.
This helped me so much. I have spent weeks with this weighing on my heart after a debate with a loved one. I doubted myself. I doubted everything which sent me in a spiral downwards. I have never been in a situation like that before and it felt like a test I had failed. I was searching ways to respond so that it it happened again I would be better equipped and seen this, so thank you. Thank you for making something that I have been beating myself up over feel normal, ok… shame is not something I enjoy carrying around and you helped me lift that guilt so much!
I kind of feel that Jesus has been altered in society.
A lot of Christians are forcing Jesus on us to make money,
give their kids fancy educations, to advocate a cause like anti-abortion.
I really do not care about atheists, cynics, nihilists,
The bible was written a thousand years ago for a reason when people didn’t have
access to all this technology.
Whatevers in the bible I believe.
If I had had more faith in God and His precious son, Jesus, when I was raising my own children, I would probably see the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives today and also in their children.
Sadly, none of my 4 children serve the Lord and it is an affront to them when I too want to bless the meal whenever I visit them. How sad. However, Jesus said if you are ashamed of me I will be ashamed of you too. Never ever cease praying for your family while you still have breath. The Lord always works out His purposes and His will in His time. God bless you all. Joan
Like many others I felt that I personally had failed the person I was witnessing to & took it hard. It was only much later in life that I really understood that people make their own choices, the Holy Spirit does the work – not me & my part is just to share what I know, leaving the rest to God. That’s not to say I don’t feel badly when people continue as unbelievers – I do. But I can look myself in the mirror and know that I haven’t failed.
Thank you… I needed to read this. I want to shake my family member sometimes. I had to realize that I was making the problem worse by putting a wall between us. I pray that the Holy Spirit will change his heart soon. With the current world crisis, we all need to be ready
God bless you for sharing
We have a number of non-believers in our life, and some of them are so annoyed with us becoming Christians (not bc we annoy them with how we are about our faith but bc they feel that two perfectly good people have been lost to meaninglessness) that if we even pray quietly to ourselves before a meal it sets them off. We can’t even begin to talk with them about it because they would never stand for it. We have had to accept that simply continuing to walk in the faith while also continuing to have them in our life is the best we can do (along with prayer obviously). Guess I’m just saying, when talk is not an option, we can still remain in a position where God can potentially provide opportunities for talk down the line. 🙂
Lynda, I’m so happy your part of the family in Jesus. 🙂 And you’re so right, sometimes the only thing we can “say” is the action of our lives, not the words of our mouths. And honestly, that is sometimes much more powerful of a witness.
Thanks! and Amen!:)
Lauren,
My daughter was raised in a manner similar to your son. After high school she drifted away from church. Then she fully embraced Buddhism and turned her back on God. She was very active in Buddhist “outreach” work. I prayed for her without ceasing for 12 years. God is so good! My daughter returned to God, embracing His love and salvation in a way she had never known before. She is now raising her children for God’s glory, even though she’s married to an agnostic. Now I get to attend Bible studies with her.
I want to encourage you to keep praying without ceasing. It’s what kept me going for those long 12 years and God hears and answers our prayers. God also taught me a lot about my relationship with Him during all those prayer hours so try to embrace the prayer time now and look forward to the amazing things you’ll see in your son’s future.
My son was raised with God in his life and was an active participant in our church’s youth group and in mission work. Late into his senior year of high school, he began using drugs. He has denounced God and is now negative towards Christianity. It breaks my heart. I know I can’t “make him” find God again, but I can pray for him. And I do. And I do. And I do. 🙁
Lauren, even though you might not see anything, I know your prayers aren’t in vain. I’ve often seen people come to God after the person who prayed for them for years has passed on. I said a prayer for your son as well.
Hey Lauren,
Just wanted to know how your son is doing? I hope all is well with him ❤️