Unsaved Family (A Repost from September 19, 2005)
This is a tough one. We can spend so much time proclaiming, defending, and even living the truth, but when our families-whether parents, siblings, children, or extended-don't believe it can be heart breaking.
They're often the people it's hardest to witness to. They see us at our worst, and most of them knew us when we were unsaved.
I must confess a sense of jealousy for those who grew up in Christian homes. This is not a complaint against my parents. They did well. It's not a complaint against God. I've seen reasons why I did not grow up in that setting.
But I see the closeness Christian families have on a level non-Christians can never experience. I see the blessings. And so I desire to create that sort of environment for the future.
I pray for my unsaved family. I pray I will model God's grace for them, they do know I've changed, but it's not always easy. Sometimes believing the Gospel creates conflict--as Christ said it would. (Matthew 10:33-35)
In my extended family there is more acceptance now than when I first believed, but there can still be tension. There still can be conflict.
Part of the reason I post this is asking for advice or comments, from anybody who can relate to it. Part of the reason is to hopefully encourage those who can relate to it.
Thanks.
(I did receive comments on this when it was first posted, and thanks to those who left them.)
They're often the people it's hardest to witness to. They see us at our worst, and most of them knew us when we were unsaved.
I must confess a sense of jealousy for those who grew up in Christian homes. This is not a complaint against my parents. They did well. It's not a complaint against God. I've seen reasons why I did not grow up in that setting.
But I see the closeness Christian families have on a level non-Christians can never experience. I see the blessings. And so I desire to create that sort of environment for the future.
I pray for my unsaved family. I pray I will model God's grace for them, they do know I've changed, but it's not always easy. Sometimes believing the Gospel creates conflict--as Christ said it would. (Matthew 10:33-35)
In my extended family there is more acceptance now than when I first believed, but there can still be tension. There still can be conflict.
Part of the reason I post this is asking for advice or comments, from anybody who can relate to it. Part of the reason is to hopefully encourage those who can relate to it.
Thanks.
(I did receive comments on this when it was first posted, and thanks to those who left them.)
posted by pilgrim at 9:55 AM
2 Comments:
I have the same feelings of wishing I had grown up in a Christian home.
My family are RCs, but not hard-core. That is one reason I spend the time I do trying to educate myself on the errors of Rome - hoping to be ready for the right conversation.
I came out of RCism, and I understand that.
It's also important to be grounded in what you do believe.
I made some mistakes in how I handled things, but I learned.
But no matter what lure or family is, I could never go back to RCism.
But we can love our families.
Thanks for dropping in.
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