The Ones You Don't Save

Faith in Christ comes with a changing of our hearts and our minds. One way in particular: our understanding that our life has a purpose that we did not have before. As we grow closer to Christ, our purpose becomes more and more apparent. We all have our own individual callings made specifically for us; however, our purpose is the same. “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Meaning, we are to share the Gospel with everyone we can because it is the most amazing Truth we could ever share. When people come to Christ through His work in us and the confidence He gives to share His love with them, it is truly the most amazing feeling. Therefore, it is imperative that we share our testimonies with those we meet, because it shows the change in our lives and the freedom we have found in Jesus. Sometimes people are receptive to it and they want what we have. But then other times, they don’t understand it and say that it is just not for them. If we don’t know the person, often we say okay and secretly pray for them if they do not feel comfortable with us doing it out loud. However, if we know the individual personally, we have time to just love them and pray for them on the daily. Sometimes we spend months or even years praying for them, and if we are lucky, they open their hearts to God and find His freedom for themselves. I have heard so many beautiful testimonies of children praying for their parents or a believer praying for their spouse and them coming to Christ and it is incredible. Sadly, this is not the testimony of every believer who has a lost loved one that they consistently lift in prayer. We pray for years, and the loved one either never says they want Christ, or they simply say no thank you. Then their time comes, and they say goodbye to this world, leaving us to wonder if we will ever see them again. The pain and the mourning that comes to a follower of Christ when we realize that we may never see the ones we love again has an ache that is so profound, it is almost as if we feel God’s heart breaking within our own chests. Then, if we overthink everything like many of us do, the doubt begins to flow. Questions will fill our mind of: “Will I see them again? God, will I see them?” or “What could I have said differently? What actions could I have changed to make them see the Truth? Did I do enough…?” In this very moment, our perspective changes from the salvation of man received by the grace and sacrifice of God and the blood of Christ, to if we were Christly enough. As if their eternity depends on us and how well we present Jesus. When in all reality, it does not matter how Christ like we are, some people just don’t have the ears to hear. Just as the psalmist says, we do not attain victory by our own power. “The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.” Psalm 33:16-17 ESV. When we work on our own strength, the only thing we can sell is generic truth that barely holds water let alone the salvation of an individual. The psalmist continues to point out where our faith should rest: “Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in Him, because we trust in His Holy Name. Let Your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in You.” Psalm 33:20-22 ESV. Genuine Truth is only found in one place, and that is in Christ alone. When the ones we love choose not to turn to Him, our hearts may break but it must not keep us from turning to God to mend them once more. For the last month I have faced this very pain and doubt. A good friend of mine, a man I called brother, passed away just before Thanksgiving. Seven years I spent sharing my growth and my faith with this man. He knew me at my worst, when I was chasing after the world and so downcast in my soul that all I wanted was to stop breathing. He knew me when I cried out to God to save me from drowning in my own guilt and shame as I fought to reach the surface, only to get sucked down deeper. He knew me when I decided that I wasn’t going to run from my calling anymore but that I would take a giant leap towards it and go to college to become a pastor. He knew me when I was disowned by family members and ostracized because I fell in love, forcing me to rely on God even more. When I decided to marry the woman I fell in love with and make her my wife. When I broke through barriers of past pains so that I would stop being that scared kid that prays no one will really see him hiding behind the mask, to the young man who stepped out into the uncomfortable spotlight allowing transparency to take place. Time and time again this man had seen God moving in my life breaking down my strongholds as I submitted more and more to Him. But more importantly, this man saw how God took the worst situations and turned them into the biggest blessings. A childhood dream coming true as I became a published author. My calling being acted upon when I graduated and became a licensed pastor with Open Bible. Through all of it I was open and honest with this man about the good, the bad, the ugly, and the extraordinary. I spent hours talking to him about his pain and his struggles, listening to him and openly praying for him. This man knew God existed, whether he submitted his life to Christ or not, he knew. It had nothing to do with Jordan Flowers, but everything with how God moved in the heart of Jordan Flowers. Furthermore, just as I had to make the choice to allow God to take over my life, this man, my brother, had to make that very same decision, and I could not make it for him. When we lose people and have that knowledge that we may never see them again, we must understand that their salvation never weighed on our shoulders. It was carried on the back of a Man that was completely blameless. His flesh ripped open and His body beaten beyond recognition, He carried their salvation on His mangled back, knowing it was the only way they could ever be reunited with Him. Just as people rejected Christ when they met Him face to face, they may reject Christ in us. In the end, all we can do is give thanks for the time we shared with those loved ones, hold on to the cherished memories and keep the faith. The rest is in God’s hands. **Originally posted on 12/03/2020 to our old page; uploaded again now for rebranding purposes.