This morning I met with my doctor. I meet with him for checkups every 4 months. When I started these meetings, I knew that God had sent a Christian (me) into his life because God is reaching out to him. We have had many good spiritual conversations over the years and have built up a friendship and a level of trust that means we have very open conversations and talk freely about personal and spiritual issues.
Our conversations range over many topics, but I have noticed that he is especially interested whenever I share about what my own close personal relationship with God is like. Our gospel conversations make the biggest impression on him when we also talk about my relationship with God.
This shouldn’t have been a surprise to me. Before I make any major purchase, I scour the internet for reviews of people who have actually used the product and brands I am considering. I don’t just want to read the advertisements—I want to know if it really works and lasts. I want to know the experience of people who have already bought the product.
Why would it be any different for someone considering Christ?
As you reach out to people in your life who don’t yet know Jesus, be sure to mix your gospel conversations in with sharing about what it is like having a close personal relationship with God. People want to know!
Sharing your experience of God and what it is like to have a growing relationship with him not only opens people’s hearts to him, but it also makes the gospel more believable to them.
2 Responses
I have an 87 year old friend who thinks religion & the Bible is all rubbish. He thinks there is no God & even tho I have carefully & gently explained Jesus was a real person in History [not just Christian History!!] he does not want to know anything about God etc….
I have shared with him every time I am blessed [a good parking spot…. no traffic when I expected the worst…. lovely sunny day when I needed just that…. things I need to buy are ALWAYS ‘on Special’, saving me many $$s…my blessings are continuous, and I am always very grateful to my Mighty God & Blessed Jesus.
Also, it is so wonderful to have that peace that passes all understanding, and to have the re-assurance of Heaven when I die…. but my friend is not interested. He says when you die that is it… there is nothing….
ANY SUGGESTIONS, other than praying [of course]
Thanks Elizabeth, for sharing your very real experience as you try to live as a witness with your friend. I have four thoughts as I read your comment:
1) You love your friend and are reaching out to him and sharing with him your relationship with God, and praying for him. I know God is honouring that and reaching out to your friend through you. We never know what is happening under the surface in his mind and heart.
2) Sometimes when someone has developed a habit of responding negatively to you regarding God, they will respond more positively to someone else. I encourage you to pray that God will bring someone else into his life as a witness. We have also developed a resource for people who are far away from God, called LifeWorks. You can order it on DVD or on USB stick or just watch it online. It is a 9-part series, plus an 17-minute intro video. Why don’t you ask him if he will watch the intro video with you to see if the series interests him? Here’s the link: https://mylife2life.com/lifeworks-videos/
3) While we can be sure that God answers our prayers and reaches into a person’s heart and mind to reveal himself to them, that does not mean that they will respond to him with an open heart. Remember that Jesus told his disciples, “If they reject me they will also reject you.” Keep praying for him and keep sharing with him, but it is up to him to open his heart to God.
4) If he does not respond to Christ, it does not mean you have done something wrong. Jesus did everything right and many people still rejected him.
I pray that God will shine brightly through you into your friend’s life!