Frustrated

[Future Preacher]

I'm in the Army and have recently started to really try to discuss my faith with my counterparts. Well, here's where I'm at. I've planted the seed in some peoples lives, however, I'm frustrated because I was really hoping to see them come to Christ. I talked to my First Sergeant for about an hour and a half last night and explained things as best I could. He said I explained a lot of things for him and answered a lot of questions, but he still had trouble believing.

I'm frustrated because it's so easy. Jesus gift to us is absolutely free and all we have to do is accept it. Why is it so hard for people to understand? Why do they have to come up with every excuse not to accept Him. I mean would you rather die not knowing what's coming next, or would you want to die and know what's going to happen. At least we have faith. I mean, what gets me is that if they don't accept Him, they will one day die and find out they were absolutely wrong and the answer, the free gift, was in front of them the entire time! That's what gets me is that it's so simple, the gift of Salvation is ours for the taking, we need only ask, and people don't want to!

Now I can pray for these people, and let the Holy Spirit move in their lives, but it's just frustrating because we don't know how much time we have on this earth. A mortar could land on our building tomorrow, and it'd be too late. Please pray for my First Sergeant and the other I speak with about Christ. I want to see them accept Him. Jesus wants all to come to Him. Thanks for listening all, rather reading hehe. God bless.

 

[Harry3142]

I think that you have answered your own question. Yes, it is easy to attain salvation, and therefore it is also paradoxically very hard for people to accept it.

Remember the passage which St. Paul wrote:

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." As it is written:

"See. I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." (Romans 9:30-33,NIV)

There are many people who simply don't feel right about putting all their trust in God's having already done what is necessary for our salvation rather than their having to obey rules and regulations, depending on themselves to be 'good enough' to pass muster in God's kingdom. I would imagine that this would be especially difficult for military men, since their whole environment is filled with rules and regulations. You have planted the seeds of true salvation, but now you must be patient and permit the Holy Spirit to cause them to germinate and grow within the individuals. May they come to accept their salvation; our prayers are with them.

 

[holyrokker]

Keep in mind the words of 1 Corinthians 3:5-8

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

Or Galatians 6:7-10

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

 

[Gerry_NY]

Planting a seed and then prayerfully "watering" it is all that God really asks us to do. Yes, it is frustrating as it gets, but as the old adage foes, You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

Our job is only to spread the good news of Jesus and how He can save them from hell and give them eternal life. Nothing we can do can change a heart. We plant the seed and then pray that God will speak to that heart and show them the truth.

By the way, thank you for your service to our country.

 

[iamjcs]

1> Sometimes God has 1 person till, 1 person plant, 1 person water. (sometimes 3 different people)

2> In a world where very little is truly free (most have strings attatched)
it is not easy to believe such a big, precious, & valuable gift would be truly free for the taking.

 

[toolite]

I'm in the Army and have recently started to really try to discuss my faith with my counterparts. Well, here's where I'm at. I've planted the seed in some peoples lives, however, I'm frustrated because I was really hoping to see them come to Christ. I talked to my First Sergeant for about an hour and a half last night and explained things as best I could. He said I explained a lot of things for him and answered a lot of questions, but he still had trouble believing.

I'm frustrated because it's so easy. Jesus gift to us is absolutely free and all we have to do is accept it. Why is it so hard for people to understand? Why do they have to come up with every excuse not to accept Him. I mean would you rather die not knowing what's coming next, or would you want to die and know what's going to happen. At least we have faith. I mean, what gets me is that if they don't accept Him, they will one day die and find out they were absolutely wrong and the answer, the free gift, was in front of them the entire time! That's what gets me is that it's so simple, the gift of Salvation is ours for the taking, we need only ask, and people don't want to!

Now I can pray for these people, and let the Holy Spirit move in their lives, but it's just frustrating because we don't know how much time we have on this earth. A mortar could land on our building tomorrow, and it'd be too late. Please pray for my First Sergeant and the other I speak with about Christ. I want to see them accept Him. Jesus wants all to come to Him. Thanks for listening all, rather reading hehe. God bless.

God Bless You!

1) People- In dealing with people you can not force feed them the word. Not to say anything bad of you.. Meaning you as a person of God can get so excited about sharing the goodness and the experience of God with everyone and you can want everyone to have but, they won't. I understand but, everything is on God's time and we as children have to learn that and that's where our peace comes in. Do say what you must even when it doesn't appear to be working. Say it knowing that one day with God that person will be with God. You will not always see the end result because that is your trial--- meaning are you doing from the heart and don't have to see because you know in your heart that God didnt call you to talk to that person for nothing. That's you always building faith and God usually gives you confirmation later and it can be much later.

2) God judges based on what is in the heart. Sometimes we worry for ones but, they may be free and we don't realize it. Then also everything is based on time. It maynot be there time but, just continue to plant the seed. Their soul does hear you although they appear to not be receiving the word.
Don't feel frustrated that what the enemy wants. And the enemy hopes that you will feel like well they don't listen anyway so why bother but, God has made you stronger than that and don't stop giving a word and smile on the inside to know whether you see it or not God has the final say and these are his children and he knows what his children need. Stay Strong knowing you are on the right path. Smile within your heart that you are doing God's will. Stay Blessed!

All The Glory Belongs To God!

 

[VT_Boy]

Just remember all our job is to "plant the seed". God does the convicting and the saving. Sometimes it takes years for it to show any results.
If you think the way you share the gospel might be flawed, get a good trained person to practice on and give you any helps to improve it.

 

[JohnDB]

I have found that in this "information age" most people would rather research their own answers than listen to someone spoon feed them the answers...for some reason it means more.

Also...When asked and you are telling the good news use terms that aren't spoken in "church language" is also of utmost importance. "lay it at the cross" may mean something to a regular church member...but to a fellow GI it isn't going to mean anything but gibberish.

There are plenty of real world benefits to being a Christian...such as successful marriages (not speaking of stats here...but two that have a genuine relationship with Jesus)

But the truth is that being a Christian in a supposedly Christian Nation isn't that easy either...it is actually a much more difficult row to hoe than being a church member. It isn't easy at all...having a heart of flesh instead of stone...earning money just to give it away...showing kindness and mercy to those that despise you. It isn't easy at all...Some of the most charismatic and charming people are truly "wimps" when push comes to shove...they may be willing to die or face bullets....but purposefully choosing living a life of true humility is the stuff that real heroes are made of.

And besides...the success for you isn't in the number of souls that you save...it is in the effort to win souls for Christ. The rest is just gravy.

 

[MrJim]

I had a fellow that witnessed to me most of the time I was in the Marine Corps. I never converted then, but he still remained my friend. After I got out I got into some serious bad stuff, spent a couple years on the dark side, and eventually ended up on his doorstep halfway across the country. A couple weeks later I prayed and received Christ as Lord and Saviour. I stayed in the area, married one of his cousins, and have been serving God here for over 20 years. Be more than just one spouting a message, but earnestly take interest in your friends and neighbors and bunkmates and realize that seed is going to fall on all those different types of ground. Know what it truly is to love your neighbor as yourself...and the fruit will come in its time

 

[mike501]

Don't get fustrated, rather rejoice in the Lord that you are planting the seed inside these people. Continue praying for them continueously, keep talking with them with love, watering them with the word and someday they will harvest and accept Jesus as thier Lord. Maybe its not your time to grow them, but at least you hae planted the seed. As i mentioned before, continue to pray and let the Lord our God move in thier hearts, you will see with time they will accept Jesus as thier Lord and Savior. But also remember to show with your actions that you are saved because they will look up to you and your walk with the Lord. Pray to God that you may remain strong and i will continue to pray for you too. Also thank you for protecting our country, may the Lord our God use you to bring those around you to Christ.

 

[JCFantasy23]

I agree to not get frustrated, planting the seed can mean a lot. It is hard for someone who was never a Christian to suddenly reform overnight. I pray and hope the people you spoke to are saved and I know God appreciates your efforts.