Have you ever tried to share the Gospel or a word of encouragement about God’s faithfulness only to have the person counter what you are saying, or deny you the right to proceed in speaking? Have you ever been in the uncomfortable position of wondering what you should do next when they shut you down? These situations can be extremely painful if you try to stay in the conversation because you will only frustrate the person and end up being frustrated yourself. The reason people try to stay is because none of us like feeling rejected and we don’t like people thinking negatively about us. We know we have the right heart and want to share. But sometimes we have to understand it is better to walk away, because the ground we are trying to sow in is hardened and won’t receive the seed.
It is vitally important to understand that we are only the sower of the seed, not the seed itself. Paul explains this best in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7. He says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.” Frustration and disappointment come when we do not understand this truth. We also have to remember that when we received the Word it was because the Holy Spirit had prepared our hearts to receive it. In John 6:44 Jesus confirms this when He says, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Jesus understood what He was called to do but He understood that not all people would receive Him because their hearts were hardened. For example when Jesus came out of the Desert of Temptation He went to His home town to preach the Word. (Luke 4:16-27) Did they receive Him? Did they listen to Him? Did they accept what He had to say? Let’s look at verses 28-30 of Luke 4 to find the answer to these questions. It says, “So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.”
In order to prepare the disciples for these type of encounters Jesus said, “Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.” (Luke 9:5-6) Jesus didn’t say try to convince them or try to explain yourself better; He said leave and wipe the dust off your feet! And He didn’t say judge them or try to help them see the Truth. In fact in Mathew 7:6 Jesus said, ““Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” He said this right after He talked about not judging your brother.
Another important Truth to understand is that the Word of God never returns void! Isaiah 55:10-11 says, “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” So if you are given even a moment to sow the seed, it will produce a harvest at some point. The frustration and disappointment comes because we want to see that harvest while we are present. When we realize that our presence is not needed to make that seed grow or to produce a harvest, we will be at peace when we are rejected; instead of anxious and frustrated.
The last important Truth for us to understand in this process is found in James 5:16. “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” In some translations the word trespass is translated sins, but Christ died for our sins so why does it say this? Let me re-frame it so you can be empowered to walk it out. In order to do this we have to go back to Luke 9:6. It says, “So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.” My question to all of us is this. Are our fervent, effectual prayers availing and are people being healed when the Word of God goes forth from our mouths? Or are we so hung up on people not listening to us that we become offended and stop praying for them. Do we close down and stop trying to share with others because we have been offended? Do we ever go to fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and ask them to pray for us for being offended by those who will not listen to us?
When we confess that we have been offended, when we have trespassed on ground where we have been forbidden to tread, we are delivered from the mindset of offense. Then when we pray our prayers are heard by God and they avail! We also open our minds to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit lead us to the territories He wants us to go with the Word; just like He did for the disciples as recorded in the Book of Acts. We have to come to the place where the focus is on the Word and not on ourselves as the sower of the Word. This is when we will begin to see the manifestation of the Word bring healing to the hearer. The Holy Spirit will lead us to the ground that is receptive to the seed. Don’t frustrate yourself any longer trying to plant seed in hardened ground. It is the Holy Spirit who prepares the ground to receive and no matter how hard you try to sow there; it won’t take root! So have grace on yourself and walk away to a place where you can meditate on the Word, pray, and ask for wisdom and understanding from the Holy Spirit!
Prayer: I want to encourage you to meditate on these passages and pray for the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and understanding in regards to them. If you have been offended please find someone who you can confess that to and have them pray for you. After you have done these things spend time in prayer and ask the Spirit to reveal safe territories for you to go forth and sow the Word.
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