Originally Posted by
fuego
But that's how they hear that. This is the problem with that. We (as Christians) know there can still be joy and happiness in the midst of our trials and tribulations. The problem with telling someone this when you're witnessing is that they hear it from a wordly point of view. To them 'Jesus will give you happiness' and then they give their life to Him and all hell breaks loose, then in their minds you lied to them. Because they hear 'Jesus will give you happiness' as not having problems, etc. I think many fall away because of that kind of message.
I remember a book title by Ray Comfort called, "God Loves You and Has A Wonderful Plan for Your Life (the Fallacy of the Modern Gospel)". God does love us, but the plan, from a world point of view, which is how those you are witnessing to will be looking at it, the plan may not be wonderful. Talk to a sinner and give them the details of any of the apostles' lives and the suffering, persecution, and death they encountered, and ask them how 'wonderful' that plan is or how much 'happiness' that will cause them to have, and trust me, they won't see it. There is nothing wonderful and 'happy' about that at all from their point of view.
I just don't see where the Bible promises us 'happiness' per se. It does promise us trials and tribulations, persecutions, etc, while at the same time letting us know that Jesus had overcome the world for us, and we can overcome too. But I think representing what Jesus gives as 'happiness' is off base somewhat. I personally would never tell someone I was witnessing to that.
Not criticizing you, it's jut not how I approach it.