Some Reasons Why People Don't Respond to the Gospel

Jesus told a story about a farmer planting seeds in a field and the different kinds of soil those seeds encountered. Most soils mentioned in the story were not good for growth.The same is true in human hearts.

Baggage

Most people carry a lot of baggage with them all of their lives from unforgiveness, failed relationships, bad attitudes etc. Think of it like a warehouse inside of each person. We store things from our past in this vast warehouse and don't always sort it out to get rid of what shouldn't be there. The piles just keep growing, and when you present them with the gift of God, the Gospel, all this stuff can get in the way. The good news is, it isn't your job to necessarily remove the luggage, but to plant the seed for the Holy Spirit to work on the rest of that person's life. You can counsel with that person and try to help them if you are led to do so, but ultimately it is between them and God.

Objections

When you are presenting the love of God to people, some people are going to put objections in the way. They don't want to change their behavior or their life, and Satan gives them all kinds of objections to keep them from coming to God. They may try to argue with you or use other tactics to derail what you are trying to tell them. This is when you have to be tuned into the Holy Spirit to know when to keep talking or when to leave. Argument is not going to get you anywhere unless the Lord tells you to keep going with the conversation in spite of what is happening. You need to study the Bible and books like those by Josh McDowell that will help you with these kinds of problems in your witnessing. But above all, you need to listen to the Holy Spirit because His has the ultimate wisdom. He knows what each person needs that you talk to.

Questions

Many people have questions about what is happening in their lives or their families, and that's okay. The problem comes when the questions get in the way of a person's response to the gospel. As a hospital chaplain, when this happened, I would tell people directly it is okay to have questions but don't let them get to the point where you let them get between you and God. God doesn't mind questions but there has to come a point when the person stops asking and starts believing in spite of what they don't know at the time. God will often reveal the answers they need if they are supposed to know them, later on. But He wants them to step out in faith before that can happen.

They Aren't Ready Yet

Let's face it, not everyone is ready to receive what God has to offer them. That doesn't mean they will never be ready but that this is not the proper time. It is the same with cooking or baking. Each recipe has a different amount of time and temperature needed for it to be at its optimum level of doneness so it can be enjoyed. A human heart is no different. I have met people that I knew were not ready for the Gospel yet because of their attitude and other factors. It is then you need the wisdom of God to know whether to continue talking then, or wait until a later time when they are more ready. We have to rely on God's guidance because He knows each person completely, while we only know partially if at all. So be sensitive to the person so you can assess their level of readiness but rely on God to guide what you do next. You may need to build a relationship with this person over time before you can fully minister to them. God may have another person come along and plant the next seed, perhaps a long process for that person before the harvest is ready. We don't know when the harvest for each person is going to take place but God does.

Wrong Information

I met a woman the other day who had the wrong information about Jesus and the Bible. No matter what I said from the Bible, she wouldn't listen but kept arguing with her mistaken information. She likely did not want to change. If she admitted her information was wrong, then she had to do something about it, and that was not on her agenda for that day. This is when you need wisdom to walk away until the next opportunity to talk to that person. That is what building a relationship is all about. Think about a house being built: the foundation is poured, the framing, plumbing, electrical, tile, wallboard, roofing and other components are all added to this structure at the proper time. God knows the perfect time each person will respond to the Gospel, whether it is from you or someone else God chooses.

Pray about the roadblocks you see in the lives of others, both during the conversations you have with them and afterward. Sometimes you can pray with them immediately if they are willing, while other times it may take years for changes to occur. God isn't in any hurry. He knows when the right time is to help that person, when their heart is open to His love and help.

Don't be afraid to go out there and meet people, looking for their needs. First, watch for the felt, obvious needs, then look for the core needs below that should be addressed. Ask God to show you the right timing as you build relationships with others whether during hospital visits, neighborhood chats, people at work, the grocery line, or wherever God sends you. The Holy Spirit will be there with you to help you, so be listening to Him, the person, and then talk if God tells you to. Speaking to their need may come at a future date, now may be just the time to listen and say very little.

Remember that God's wisdom transcends anything we can understand. His ways are beyond our comprehension. (Isaiah 55:8-11) Don't rely on your own wisdom in your own life or when you confront the issues of life around you. Let God's creative nature flow through your actions and words as you talk to others, giving you illustrations and examples that will meet their needs. God knows the best way to meet the needs of everyone you meet. Look for the needs around you and meet them with God's help, and you will be greatly blessed.