5 Misconceptions About Sharing The GospelSample

Misconception #5: You’ve been an ineffective witness thus far

One of the most disheartening things as a believer can be to admit that we’ve never led anyone to the Lord. Jesus addresses this issue in John 4:36 when He says:

“Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.”

Jesus tells His disciples that the fields are white for harvest and He gives them the task of reaping (winning souls). After the reaping has taken place, those who reaped and those who sowed get to rejoice together. Everyone who was involved gets to join in on the celebration, even those people who simply sowed a seed years ago.

If you’re discouraged about your effectiveness as a witness, don’t forget about the seeds you have sown. We need to be grateful when God uses us to simply plant a seed, because you never know when that seed is going to grow into fruit for eternal life.

In the end, neither those who sow nor those who reap can take the credit, but God is the one who saves. Paul confirms this in 1 Corinthians 3:7 when He says:

“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.”

This verse changed my life. For a long time, I felt ashamed that I had never gotten anyone saved, but the truth is I can’t save anyone. Only God can. It wasn’t until I admitted this that I was able to put my hand to the plow and simply plants seeds out of joy—trusting that God was going to do something. I’ll never forget the first time I got to lead someone to Christ. As they repented and prayed to receive Jesus as their Savior, the weight fell off my shoulders. I hadn’t saved anyone. God had. All He was asking of me was to remain faithful—to continue responding to His love in faith.

Walking with Him is not a waste of time—even if you feel like you haven’t gotten much done yet. It’s up to you to be faithful in seeking Him, in allowing yourself to be discipled, and in stepping out in faith, and God does the hard part. He will bring you to a place where He can use you as a witness and as an individual who is willing and able to disciple others.