Today at work, something unexpected happened.
While riding around in the training vehicle with a few coworkers, we dove into one of those conversations that people usually dance around: faith and beliefs.
Now, I’m usually the quiet one during these kinds of talks. I sit back, listen, and keep my thoughts to myself. But something stirred in me today — maybe boldness, maybe curiosity — and I decided to speak up and engage.
What started as a simple discussion turned into a rapid-fire Q&A session. They asked questions. Lots of them. Not in an aggressive way, but with a kind of searching skepticism — the kind that demands evidence, not just emotion.
I tried. I really did. I shared my story of healing. I told them about my mom’s healing. I even opened up about personal, firsthand moments I’ve seen God move. To me, they were living proof of a living God.
But to them? It wasn’t enough.
They needed something tangible.
Something scientific.
Something they could hold, measure, explain.
And that’s when it hit me — I wasn’t prepared for this part.
The Gap Between Expectation and Reality
That moment stayed with me. It had me thinking about the gap — the tension — between expectation and reality when it comes to sharing our faith.
I think many of us believe, deep down, that if we just tell our story, people will listen. That if we share what God has done in our lives, others will see the light and say, “I want that too.”
But more often than not?
- They shrug it off.
- They ask questions you can’t answer.
- They smile politely and move on.
- Or worse — they challenge everything you just said.
It can leave you feeling defeated. Discouraged. Like your faith wasn’t convincing enough.
But here’s the truth the Bible gives us:
Our job is obedience, not outcome.
Jesus Prepared Us for This
Jesus didn’t sugarcoat the mission. In fact, He warned us upfront:
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first… If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.”
— John 15:18-20
Even Jesus — who literally performed miracles and walked on water — got rejected. People watched Him raise the dead and still turned away. That alone should reset our expectations.
Paul echoes this in 1 Corinthians 1:18:
“The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
The world sees faith as foolishness. And that’s not your fault. That’s not a failure. That’s spiritual reality.
The Parable of the Sower: A Realistic Lens
Jesus paints the clearest picture in Matthew 13, in the Parable of the Sower.
The same Gospel — the same message — falls on different kinds of soil:
- Some reject it outright.
- Some receive it quickly and fall away.
- Some are choked out by distractions.
- And some bear fruit.
Same seed. Different soil.
Our job? Sow faithfully. Trust God with the rest.
And Paul gives us this instruction in 2 Timothy 4:2:
“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction.”
That word “patience” is key. Because this isn’t about quick results. This is about long obedience in the same direction.
So What Do We Do With This?
Here’s what I’ve realized:
- Not every conversation is a conversion.
- Not every story will resonate right away.
- And not everyone will believe — no matter how powerful your testimony is.
And that’s okay.
Because someone’s breakthrough doesn’t depend on your performance — it depends on your obedience.
Your Challenge: Speak Anyway
So here’s my challenge to you — and to myself:
Speak anyway.
- Even when you feel underprepared.
- Even when you’re overwhelmed.
- Even when it feels like no one’s listening.
Because faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17), and how can they believe if no one speaks?
God didn’t call us to be experts.
He called us to be faithful witnesses.
So this week, when the door opens — walk through it.
When the question is asked — answer it.
When your story comes up — share it.
Plant the seed.
And trust that the same God who called you to speak is also the one who softens hearts and brings the harvest.
“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
— Galatians 6:9
You may not see the harvest today. Or tomorrow. But your obedience matters more than you know.
Final Thought
Keep sowing.
Keep speaking.
Keep showing up with boldness and grace.
Because someone’s eternity may be changed —
not by your eloquence,
but by your faithfulness.
Transform the Word 
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