It can be discouraging to share the gospel with someone and have them listen to what you say, process what you are saying, and then still say that they don’t want to change their life or they are content with the life they are living and they don’t want Jesus. It is hard sometimes to be the one sowing seeds. It is hard and sad to not be able to see the harvest when God reveals Himself to His children. However, that fear is not a good enough reason to not share the gospel with someone. It is not a good enough excuse to not invest in a relationship with someone just because they, in the end, reject what you are saying to them.
A lot of the ministry I have been doing this month feels like that. It feels like God is using me to just sow seeds. We have done a lot of evangelism as a team this month, but some of the most powerful evangelism I have done is with the people who own shops by where we do our basketball ministry. So most days, after we have done our discipleship with the kids at the basketball courts, I try and go talk with the shop owners. Almost all of the men who own these shops are Rastafarians. They all strive to be very spiritual people. They want to be in touch with spiritual things and become more spiritual. So they are very open to talking with me about what I believe and what they believe.
It has gotten to the point where I have a pretty good relationship with most of them and most of them know me by my first name and I by theirs. Every time we talk they are excited to see me and want to talk more with me. We have really good conversations and discussions about what I believe and what they believe. However, each time the conversation gets to the point of Jesus being the only way to salvation, or giving up things of this world to give our whole lives to Christ, then they stop me and say that isn’t what they believe and it isn’t what they intend to ever believe.
I can see their interest in Christianity. I can see their passion to be more spiritual. Its hard for me to see them reject it when I know that there is a way for them to be more spiritual and have a better relationship with God. It is hard to know that Jesus offers them and everyone something better than the passing things of this world and we need not hold on to them. But I can tell that seeds are being planted in some of them. It is hard to accept that I may not be the one who gets to share with them in their joy when they accept Christ, but I know that seeds are being planted. I know that it is not up to me and that God must water the seed and call His own unto Himself. And I have a hope that one day He will call my friends unto Himself.
My teammate, Hannah, shared something that really encouraged and challenged me. She said that a lot of times we want people to accept Christ for selfish reasons. We want them to become Christians because then it would make our lives easier if they thought the same way we do and believe the same things we believe. I have to admit that a lot of times I am guilty of this. I sometimes want people to accept Christ because it would be awesome for me to see it and witness it. Or sometimes I am tired and I don’t feel like really going into a deep conversation with someone so it would be awesome if they just accepted Christ so that I didn’t have to work as hard. But that is not why people should accept Christ. The gospel is not about us it is only about Jesus and His glorification. We need to want to share Jesus because of the hope, joy, and grace that we have received.
So I need to be ok when God is just using me to sow seeds for His harvest. I need to be content when I don’t see the harvest immediately take place and have hope and faith that the harvest will happen and that Jesus will call his own unto Himself. Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot.” This may just be the time for planting and the harvest may come later. It is no reason to stop building relationships or stop sowing seeds for their will be a harvest if we do not give up. Let us continue to sow seeds at the proper time and collect the harvest at the proper time and do both joyfully for God’s glorification.
My team and I are finishing our last week of ministry here in Cape Coast, Ghana and on Monday we will head to Nepal to start our third month on the mission field. Please continue to be praying for me, my team, and my squad as we leave Ghana and head to Nepal. Please continue to pray for the people of Ivory Coast and Ghana that the seeds that God planted there will grow if it is God’s will. Please be praying for the people of Nepal that their hearts will be open to the gospel and that God’s kingdom will grow for His glorification. Thank you so much for all your love, prayers, and support! We have had such an awesome time serving here in Africa and I know the Lord will go before us and continue to be with us in Nepal and the rest of the countries we will be visiting!
