Recently at a YOU Lead women’s leadership training, we had a panel of leaders answering questions submitted by attendees. Several past and upcoming posts address those and try to help answer them.
Today’s question: How do you move new Christians “off the fence” of unbelief when great trials strike immediately upon their conversions? The trials have planter her firmly on the fence instead of trusting the Lord and jumping on this path of truth and righteousness.
Well, as a believer for a long time now, I have seen over and over how the enemy seeks to keep new believers from growing stronger through difficulties and how he targets those who make a commitment to follow Christ. But as a new believer, I had no idea this might happen and it took many years of growing in the Lord to understand this. It took a long time to trust the situation to the Lord, and honestly, there are some days I still struggle with this!
So, I think we must, as leaders, understand that this new believer isn’t where a more mature believer is in her walk. She’s a baby Christian and needs continued love and support to face her difficulties and learn to trust Christ with them.
What we can do is pray for and with her, show her scripture passages that will guide and strengthen her during this time, and be patient with her as she seeks to become more like Christ. You can’t be expected to know what you don’t know! You learn through patient guidance and daily seeking.
If she needs professional help, point her in the direction of pastoral or psychological counseling. Share books and other resources that will help her deal with her issues.
Compliment her for any small step of faith she takes. Help her see those things God is teaching her even in the midst of the trial. Connect her with another believer who has gone through and come out on the other side of a similar struggle.
Don’t give up on her because she stumbles in her first few steps of walking with Christ. Doesn’t a baby do the same thing? Help her stand back up, take her hand, and help her learn to take those steps with more and more strength.
When she is ready, have her share her story with others to testify to the power of God in her life. As she sees how her story helps another, she will see God’s hand in her life and how He wants to use her to minister to others.
Resources:
Women Reaching Women
Women Reaching Women in Crisis
Transformed Lives
Believing God
Breaking Free