Paul found it hard to convey the gospel to others and in Acts 17 he was attempting to convey gospel truth to a well-educated, deep-thinking, well-off audience that had mixed responses.
When we encounter folks like this that we are burdened for and we want them to understand the good news, it can be discouraging when they don’t jump at the chance to receive Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Who could refuse such a provision? It doesn’t make sense to us.
Paul worked so hard to clearly and-honestly-beautifully communicate the gospel to this audience at Mars Hill, yet there was still rejection.
This is a reality and a hardship of evangelism, one might call it the occupational hazard of the evangelist; there will be heart-breaking rejection of our best presentations of the gospel, our presentations that we work so hard and so fastidiously to communicate.
It may take a lot of time to see that person we are burdened for turn the corner and receive Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior; keep after it. Love them. Pray for them. Labor for them. Trust God with them. Be there for them. Care for them.
Knowing this ahead of time can help prepare our hearts for rejection. Knowing this must not discourage us from faithfully sharing the gospel. Knowing this should make us that much more prayerfully dependent on the Holy Spirit when we share the gospel.
How to pray:
- Pray for opportunities to share the gospel with them.
- Pray for obedience to verbally share the gospel with them when you have the opportunity.
- Pray for perseverance when they don’t understand the gospel as well as you hoped they would understand.
Caleb Walker 
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