Overcoming Discouragement
Bubba Garner
They promised you they would come to the meeting.
They never showed up. They agreed to study the
Bible with you. They backed out at the last minute when
some “emergency” suddenly arose. Such repeated
rejection can quickly extinguish the fires of evangelism,
the very fires that gave us the courage to ask and invite
people in the first place. What’s worse, when we see
no immediate results from our initial efforts, we develop
an attitude of “nobody cares anymore” or “why even
bother?”
Consider Jesus, the Master Teacher. Whether in
a large crowd or one-on-one, Jesus had this unique
ability to always say the right thing at the right time. Did
everyone listen and follow Him? No, only those who
had ears to hear. But at least He gave everyone the
information to decide for themselves. He is the one
who instructs us to “go and teach” (Matt. 28:18-20); He
is also the one who invites us to “come and learn” (Matt.
11:28-30). Let’s sit at His feet for a while and see how
He refused to become discouraged while talking with
the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.
People are prospects, not suspects. Jesus
could have easily passed up the opportunity to talk to
this woman as one who “probably wouldn’t listen anyway.”
John reminds us that “Jews have no dealings
with Samaritans” (John 4:9) and reveals that the disciples
“were amazed that He had been speaking with a
woman” (4:27). But Jesus didn’t care about those
things. He just saw a soul who was in desperate need
of a Savior.
We give up too quickly on people. But just because
the last five have no produced no visible results does
not give you the right to write off the sixth one. Instead
of taking one look at someone and judging them an
unfit prospect, let’s remember that the gospel is the
power of God to save “everyone” (Rom. 1:16). Any
other approach is suspect.
Patience and persistence eventually payoff. At
first, this woman just didn’t get it (John 4:10-15). He
talked about living water. She asked, “where’s your
bucket?” He told her about water that quenches your
spiritual thirst. She remarked, “I sure would like some
so I wouldn’t have to keep coming to this well to draw
water.” Yet Jesus did not dismiss her as someone who
was too ignorant to understand. He kept trying.
Maybe that’s why the Master Teacher referred to it
as sowing seeds. You plant and water and fertilize and
water some more. And you wait. We get frustrated
when people can’t see the application of passages that
seem so plain to us. But the truth will always open the
eyes of those who are willing to see. Be patient. It’s
worth the wait.
It only takes one. Jesus took time to talk to a
woman whom we would have classified a “dead end.”
And because He refused to disqualify her, an entire
village was given the opportunity to hear the same
gospel message. “From that city many of the Samaritans
believed in Him because of the word of the woman
who testified” (John 4:39). She went and reported what
had happened to her neighbors, her family, her fellow
citizens. When they came to investigate for themselves,
they developed their own faith. But it all started
with one conversation.
Do you know why we need to keep trying and
planting and inviting? Because, sooner or later, we will
find that one. Someone who learns the greatest story
ever told and decides that it’s too good not to tell. They
tell their boyfriend. They tell their mother. They tell their
boss. They tell their neighbor. And I’ll tell you what the
best thing to do is when you find that one. Go find
another one.
Think about the person who shared the gospel with
you. If your mother or father taught you, think about the
person who taught them. Aren’t you glad they didn’t get
discouraged and quit? Aren’t you thankful that they
were persistent through the first signs of resistance and
kept searching for the most effective way to get the
message through? That’s what the Master Teacher
did. And He needs pupils who care enough about the
souls of men that they will reach out and rescue them
from the bondage of sin. Someone did that for you. Go
and do likewise.
We have come and learned of Him. Now it’s time
to go and teach of Him. Please tell me, what part of “go”
don’t you understand?