How do you speak with someone you love that is constantly skeptical?

[felly]

How do you approach them without being "offended"? I can only feel bad and stressed out. I prayed to God to help me. Any verse I should meditate on so I will be less "reactive"? I am pretty affected by my surroundings, that's why I feel trapped and bothered when someone I love like my boyfriend, seems to be open but still doesn't get what I mean sometimes when I talk about my faith. And partly because of that I feel lonely.

 

[Stillicidia]

Never be offended. Being offended causes you to wax a cold heart, loveless.

Don't tolerate being reactive, but I have much sympathy with that, so I will give you a mystery,

I learned something that killed my anger against the reprobate.

Here it is,

Have you heard of, before the foundation of the world?
Know for a certainty, Satan had made himself manifest to all of us, before the foundation of the world.
Then, all of the people were tested, either they would side with Satan, or they were loyal to God, before the foundation of the world.
Our spirits communicated with each other, and when I was there, I was shocked when the lot of spirits did not care to be against those words of Satan.
Those who were loyal to God before the foundation of the world, all of them, are already in the Lamb's Book of Life.
All who were with Satan before the foundation of the world were already written in the book of the damned.
We do turn out as it happened, either we are loyal from the beginning or we are damned.
There is the blotting out, and there is the saved, yet all who were loyal will find themselves saved, one way or another, and all who rebelled will be doomed, for large and broad is that pathway.
Therefore have no anger against the reprobate, it is like them to be that way.

Have much courage! Courageous are His children! If you want to talk about God why should anyone stop you, if you're making sense, would it not edify? I have the gift of exhortation, but know the scripture, and speak to another with curiosity, expressing your interests and learned things, but not to your own edification, but for their conversion, for you should not trust man's interpretations of things. The lot of scripture may be translated into Greek, but it is the Hebrew translation that God conveys is best, and Aramaic.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

How do you approach them without being "offended"? I can only feel bad and stressed out. I prayed to God to help me. Any verse I should meditate on so I will be less "reactive"? I am pretty affected by my surroundings, that's why I feel trapped and bothered when someone I love like my boyfriend, seems to be open but still doesn't get what I mean sometimes when I talk about my faith. And partly because of that I feel lonely.

Felly,

I understand how approaching other people with one's own ideas about Christian faith can be fraught with anxiety. But, I think you can reduce some of this anxiety by not trying to present your beliefs to your boyfriend as something he has to accept, do or die.

Instead--and assuming he's actually open to belief as you said he is--lovingly ask him to describe what one or two aspects about Christianity bother him most. Then pray that God will help you find some answers that will help your boyfriend understand better.

But, as Paul the Apostle said, we can plant some seeds, and we can water them, but it really is up to God to help them grow. So, just realize that some of this is not something God has intended for us to shoulder as a part of our spiritual responsibility. Your place isn't to convince your boyfriend about the truth of faith, but to be there for him, and to sometimes, lovingly, give him some additional things to think about.

Peace,
2PhiloVoid

 

[crossnote]

Prayer can sometimes reach them when our words can't.

 

[thesunisout]

How do you approach them without being "offended"? I can only feel bad and stressed out. I prayed to God to help me. Any verse I should meditate on so I will be less "reactive"? I am pretty affected by my surroundings, that's why I feel trapped and bothered when someone I love like my boyfriend, seems to be open but still doesn't get what I mean sometimes when I talk about my faith. And partly because of that I feel lonely.

Hi Felly, I think the first step is prayer, before you ever talk to the person. You need God to prepare the ground and prepare you for speaking to them. Ask the Lord for wisdom for what to say and when to say it. God promises to answer that prayer if it is prayed in faith:

James 1:5-6

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind

There are a few things you must realize about witnessing. First, that there is nothing you can say or do which will bring your friend to Christ. It is entirely a work of God:

John 6:44

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day

No one can come to Christ without the Father drawing them. Therefore, the pressure is off of you to save that person. You cannot do anything to save them on your own, but God can use you to draw that person to Christ. That is where prayer comes in and a humility before God knowing that without His help nothing is happening. Without God moving through you, your witness has no power.

You sound frustrated dealing with the skepticism of your friend. God can provide you words and wisdom which cannot be resisted or contradicted:

Luke 21:10-15

Then He told them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, along with fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

12But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. On account of My name, they will deliver you to the synagogues and prisons, and they will bring you before kings and governors. 13This will be your opportunity to serve as witnesses. 14So make up your mind not to worry beforehand how to defend yourselves. 15For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict

So pray for that. Don't feel intimidated by the confrontation, just believe God will help you in those moments to answer with truth and love. Also remember not to take this personally! Jesus told us that it isn't really you that they are rejecting, it is Christ:

Luke 10:16

“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me

Finally, remember that your ultimate struggle is not against your friend, but the wicked powers controlling their life:

Ephesians 6:10-13

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand

As you can see, there is a lot going on when you are trying to witness to your friend. The devil is trying to discourage you and fill you with anxiety and offense over the situation, but you can give all of that to Jesus. Ask Him to take all of your apprehensions away and cause you to see the situation through His eyes. Ask Him for understanding of these truths I have just shared. If you do that I guarantee you that you will be much better equipped the next time you speak with your friend.

 

[ToBeLoved]

We have to think of ourselves as seed planters. We plant seeds and people hear and remember, but that does not always lead to a plant that sprouts. And that has to be ok with us. Someday those seeds we planted may grow, we never know. Many times when someone gets to rock bottom they turn to God.

The other thing for the @OP is to stress the spiritual part of Christianity. I find most unbelievers do not understand the spiritual part of our walk with God which is most of it.

If all else fails, start a thread and ask them if they will read it. Sometimes other people put things into words others understand when we cannot.

be blessed.

 

[SkyWriting]

How do you approach them without being "offended"? I can only feel bad and stressed out. I prayed to God to help me. Any verse I should meditate on so I will be less "reactive"? I am pretty affected by my surroundings, that's why I feel trapped and bothered when someone I love like my boyfriend, seems to be open but still doesn't get what I mean sometimes when I talk about my faith. And partly because of that I feel lonely.

You can explore, have, grow, enjoy, and live the benefits of Faith without
talking about it. And (from a person married to a non-believer) you should
plan for a new boyfriend.