Pastor Craig was having an intense conversation at a health club with Jacob, a man he had befriended. It started after Jacob climbed onto the exercise bike beside him. Craig asked, "Are you going to see the movie The Passion of the Christ?" "No!" came the quick response. As the two men pedaled side-by-side, they had a half-hour discussion about the purpose of Jesus' death. When they parted, Jacob said, "I still don't think I'll see the movie."

Craig felt frustrated. Nothing would please him more than to see Jacob open his heart to Christ. But he could see no evidence that Jacob would ever budge.

As believers in Jesus, we sometimes become frustrated when people who are not believers refuse to trust in Him. When that happens, we must remember that our role is to obey the command to tell others about Christ; the Holy Spirit's work is to convict and save them. People need to be born of the Spirit (John 3:5,7); we can neither believe for them nor redeem them. He is the One who convicts of sin, forgives, and imparts new life from above. We are powerless to do more—except pray.

We witness faithfully and pray, and God performs the miracle of salvation.
  — David C. Egner