*One afternoon with a friend.
Me: God has a perfect plan for His people, which is why I wait for Him everyday.
Friend: *scoffs* Why wait for Him when you can do whatever you want?
Me: If I do go my own ways, life isn't going to be easy for me. Desires won't satisfy me, I'll be more empty as ever.
Friend: You know what, I had enough of God from you. You shouldn't be talking trash. *begins to walk away*
As believers of Christ, we may have that one friend/family who typically opposes Christianity, or use harsh words against the name of the Lord Jesus when we represent Him. It's saddening to be in the situation, especially knowing those people are going to miss out the wonderful blessings.
However, mentioning the name of Jesus, is as great as an opportunity. You will be rejected, yes, but what you are doing is exalting God and bringing yourself even closer to His presence.
They (the non-Christians) may not understand what changed you so suddenly; that is the sign of God's Light shining through you. It is the work of God in your life, an awesome blessing to confess to others of your testimony with Christ. There's a wonderful promise that lies in the book of Matthew.
𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞. 𝐑𝐞𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝, 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮. - 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐰 𝟓:𝟏𝟏,𝟏𝟐
Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do to turn their hearts toward our God—for we are not authorized to do so. We are only Christ's representatives; the salt that sustains the world. We share the Gospel by inspiring them to come forward to the presence of the Lord. Everyone has a choice, either they want to be saved or go their own ways.
Then how should we deal with non-Christians? What is the appropriate manner before God?
Here are a couple of advice based from the Bible.
1. Don't push.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞. - 𝟐 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑:𝟗
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠; 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬, 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭. - 𝐄𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟐:𝟖,𝟗
As I have said above, we are not authorized to change a person. It is God alone who can miraculously transform one's heart. He Himself has patience towards His people, watching closely if we'll have the right decision to accept Him and ask for repentance. That is how graceful and merciful the Lord is!
The second verse—which happens to be graceinspiredgirls' signature Bible verse, tells us that all—including us, are saved by faith and not by our works. God has chosen from the beginning who will be His adoptive child. He will save that person only if it complies to His will.
So do not force yourself to engage someone to get themselves to church. The more you are discouraging them because it is out of reluctance than a desire.
2. Don't give up.
𝐁𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝; 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡; 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐬; 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠. - 𝟏 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟏𝟔:𝟏𝟑
𝐑𝐞𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬; 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮. - 𝟏 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟓:𝟏𝟔-𝟏𝟖
I once was rejected by my best friend only because I mentioned God to her. It was a heartache to read her text message, "Enough of God okay!!! What she needs right now is you and not God!!!". There were numerous exclamation points. I was aghast by her statement, I broke down in tears. My Mom explained to me at the time, "It isn't your fault, all you can do is to pray for her."
Pray. It's all that we need to face opposition. God knows that being a Christian in an arrogant world is not comfortable. Prayer gives us the hope for those we care for, and the courage to keep fighting for them in faith. There's a saying, You can have hope without faith, but you can't have faith without hope.
To have faith is to believe that God will do as He's promised. Never cease praying for them, for the Lord hears our desperate prayers. You may never know that one day the person who cursed God then will be praising Him in adoration.
Don't discourage yourself that can hinder you from trusting God. It is what I've learned when I found my way deeper into His love. It would be painful, but know that He brings people into our lives to teach us and to strengthen us—when we are ready enough to share our testimony.
I encourage you to keep sharing, let God reveal Himself through you. If one refuses, let it go. For you've already done your part, and you need to submit it to the Lord who is in absolute control of everything.
May God bless your journey,
Anna ♡
