I often remember when I was growing up in church, someone would always have a prayer request: "please pray for my lost loved ones."
It is sad that many do not believe in Christ. That's the reality of our world.
I have several non-believers in my life too. Does that make me any better than them? No, absolutely not. They are good people and they all treat me kindly. I pray for each one of them often especially if I know of a need they have or something going on in their lives. They never ask me to pray for them but I still do. That doesn't make me any kind of saint or anything but I have always believed that the MOST I can do for anyone is to pray for them.
We can't force people to believe. No matter how much we want them to believe, there is nothing we can do. I'm also not one to debate. I have never known debating to win anyone into believing. Debates are a waste of time. I am a believer. Period. Always have been and there is nothing anyone can say to change my mind. I am also not going to pound anyone over the head with a Bible or quote worn-out religious cliches to them. That certainly won't make anyone a believer.
I know people who would push the issue and "witness" to non-believers but I think that's a dangerous thing to do. Personally I think forcing the issue with non-believers risk having an opposite affect on people. There is already enough bad publicity about being a Christian. In the United States it has been politicized and has further pushed people away for believing.
The most any of us can do is to pray for non-believers. Leave it up to God. He can do whatever, whenever and however He wants to do it. The pressure is not on us. I know at times I have stressed about it until I realized there isn't anything I can do to make someone believe. I just need to pray for them and trust God to do His part.
Naturally I would love for everyone to believe in Christ but, sadly, that isn't the reality. There is still the option of people having free will to make their own decisions. Are believers perfect? No, absolutely not. I make mistakes and I have moments where I slip up but I never give up and I never want to give the impression that I have it all together because I don't.
Being a believer takes a commitment. You can't argue someone into it and we can't paint it being a life where you no longer have problems. Sometimes believers are the only Bibles that non-believers will read so if there is any pressure at all, it is us to us to be a good example.
Only the Holy Spirit can change the heart. I have been blessed to have been taught about Christ and have believed from an early age. I had a pastor once who belittled my experience by saying that I cut my teeth on the church pews. Yes, I was raised to be a believer but it's the only way I know to live. I know many others have not. We have all traveled different paths in our lives and we all have different experiences. God knows where we all are and He is able to reach us where we are.
