“Would ye rather be the way ye were before? Not carin’ who ye be killin’? Why, ye were as ruthless and devilish as the rest o’ them blokes out there. Listen to them now, getting’ drunk and carryin’ on like a bunch o’ animals.” . . . “And ye was a lot meaner, too, if I might say so.” . . . “Now that you’re a godly man,” he continued, “ye make a much better cap’n.” He hesitated. “And friend, too, I might add.”—An excerpt from The Redemption by M. L. Tyndall
Many new Christians have to face family members who just don’t believe they could change. For a new believer, this can be very difficult to handle. It’s important to stand in your faith and not allow any words to cause you to stumble.
Even Jesus had to face this exact problem. Even though He never sinned, His family and friends saw Him as only a meek carpenter’s son. So when He returned to His hometown, He was met with adversity by the same people who had accepted Him before His ministry began. This was Jesus’ response:
And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith (Matthew 13: 57–58 NIV).
It can be a challenge to face loved ones after giving your life to God. Because of the way you lived your life before, some people will be skeptical when they learn you’ve given up your old ways. This is where patience comes in. You need to ask God to give you the strength, courage and words to speak when you face adversity.
If you are new in your faith and are under attack from your old life, keep up your faith and have courage. And remember that even Jesus knows how you feel. You are in good company.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV)!
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (Ephesians 5:8 NIV).
When you stand strong in your new faith, you show others Christ through you. You are a light that shines and shows the way to Christ. And because of your faith, those who oppose your new life may one day have a change of heart as well.
Debbie Mitchell