Many become depressed talking to others about the gospel on account of the response they get. Some (possibly most) people simply don’t want to hear God’s message of salvation, and we feel we have failed because they’re not converted.
Do you remember how often the apostle Paul was rejected? Do you remember how much trouble, real trouble, he had: beaten, thrown out of town, in prison and out and in again (2 Corinthians 11:22-28)? And yet in 2 Corinthians 2:14 he said, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place”. How could he say that considering his life and all he had been through?
It’s because of his God-given view that the victory was in giving the opportunity, making the knowledge known — and then the rest was up to whoever heard or read. His job was to teach as best he could and everywhere he could. It was (as that same verse goes on to say) “the fragrance of His knowledge in every place”. You could see this approach in Lystra (Acts 14:8-18), with the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:31-32), and the men of Athens (Acts 17:30-31).
This is how we don’t get depressed. We realize that the victory is in giving opportunity. If the truth is accepted we rejoice, and if not we rejoice they have been given opportunity, the “fragrance of His knowledge” is upon them.
People dead in their sins will go on to eternal death if the gospel is ignored. Jesus was very clear about this (John 3:18-21). But those obeying will come to life in Christ, and will go on to eternal life because of God’s love in Christ. John expressed, “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11-12). So let’s be about the business of giving as many people the opportunity of obeying God’s will. This is our victory.
Adapted from Bob Hines
