Who do you know and care about and are concerned because they do not know Jesus? Which family members are you concerned about because they do not have a healthy relationship with God and assurance of eternal life?
There is hope for your family to be found in the story of Jesus’ own family. In John 7:5 we read, “not even his brothers believed in him.” For a season, Jesus’ own family, including his half-brothers, did not believe in Him or support His ministry.
Thankfully, after Jesus’ resurrection, His family began believing in Him and serving in His ministry. We read that His mother Mary was part of the early church (Acts 1:14). Jesus’ brother James became a leader in the early church and wrote a book of the Bible bearing his name. Jesus’ brother Jude became a pillar of the church with Peter (Galatians 2:9), helped oversee an early church council (Acts 15), and also wrote a book of the Bible bearing his name.
Sometimes, people grow up in a godly home and are exposed to lots of healthy teaching and modeling but do not embrace all of it for themselves. This was the case for Jesus’ own family. There is great hope, however, for your family members in the story of Jesus’ family. Eventually, they came around to deep and true Christian faith and once they did they remained devoutly devoted to Jesus for the rest of their life. Don’t lose hope, but keep on praying for and speaking to those you love in hopes that their story is like the story of Jesus’ family.
Make a list of the people you care for, starting with family members, who you can be praying for and speaking to about Jesus.