What Else Do They Want From Me?!

Acts 28:27

For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn and I would heal them.

It can be a frustrating thing when you give your best to people and they not respond to what you give. Whether it's a marriage, teaching students in school, pastoring a church, coaching a team; it can be downright disheartening when you teach, preach, share your heart to others only to have them walk way not getting what you have poured out over and over and over. It makes you want to ask, "What else do you want from me?" Their answer would probably be, "Nothing!" The truth of the matter is that there will be people who will not be able to receive from you because for one reason or the other their hearts have become hardened and they can't receive from you any longer. As painful as it is there will be people in your life who will reach a point where they will not receive what was meant for them exclusively and you will have to watch their backs as they walk away from what was meant for them. There is nothing else you can do but share what God gave you and hope it falls on good ground. Giving is your responsibility, receiving is theirs. Just as God cannot make you love him, you cannot make them love you!

Jesus had masses of people following him in the early parts of his ministry when he was healing, feeding, and preaching to the people, but when he extended his reach to the gentiles and challenged them in his teaching many of those same people he helped stopped following him. Every leader reaches a season where the crowd starts thinning out and the core has to be strengthened. What else can you do when it seems that the people you've been called to don't seem to be receiving what you're saying:

1. You have to be clear that God is calling you to reach a specific group of people and everybody is not called to you. Just because they are in the crowd intially doesn't mean they will remain in your corner.

2. Make sure you give quality to those who are listening and not give up because of the fickeledness of the crowd. Keep feeding those that want to hear what God has given you. Check yourself first and make sure you are up on your stuff but after you've done a quality inspection of what you give out you can't get stuck after you've given your best.

3. Don't take it personal when they walk away when you know you've done your best. People come and People go, it's what people do but make sure you take care of the people that are sent to you

4. Do your best and let God do the rest. It is God who adds and gives increase. Do your level best to preach and teach only what God gives you. He will send to you the disciples, team members, and partners who are supposed to be walking with you, who fit your DNA and mission.

5. Pray for the hearts of the people that God is sending you to, that they may be open and receptive to the truth.

6. If they don't receive you, shake the dust from your feet and keep it moving.

7. Celebrate the ones who do receive and pour your time, energy, and love into them.
Thank you for the people you've allowed.