40acts: The Lent Generosity ChallengeSample

If we’re honest, as Christians, sometimes we struggle to interact with our friends who have left the church. How often do we find ourselves being generous to those who don’t share in our beliefs any more? God is waiting with open arms for every believer who has turned away to come back to Him. Like the father in the story of the lost son, He is ‘filled with compassion’ for our friends who have wandered from him, 

If you’re a believer, you probably have that friend you look up to in the faith, that person who is your go-to for all things spiritual, who reads every John Piper book and has a heavily used Bible on each night stand and coffee table. Well, your friend may not be that person, but mine was. However, after the death of my friend’s mother and only sibling, things changed. The disintegration of their faith didn’t happen overnight; it was a slow erosion. Pent-up anger and sadness ate away over months and, before too long, Jesus was an unmentionable and Sunday was just another day to have a lie in.

I was devastated as I watched the death of a vibrant faith despite my attempts to resuscitate it for them. I remember wondering if this meant that I had to annul our friendship since they had annulled their faith. In dealing with my friend, I’m reminded of Paul in Romans 9:2–3, for I feel the same: ‘I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people…’

We don’t know what God’s great plan for our lives is and that goes for our friends too. We can pray, love and support, knowing that while we can’t make those we love fall in love with Jesus, we can show them His love by continually sharing ‘the hope that [we] have… with gentleness and respect’ (1 Peter 3:15) and continually praying that they will return home to the Father.

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Whatever their reason. Let’s take the time to listen to them and not shy away from talking about Jesus, even if it’s awkward.

 Find more about today’s 40acts challenge on our blog:   

https://40acts.org.uk/act-37-stand-out/