From Doubt to Dialogue: Navigating Faith Conversations with Loved Ones
Navigating faith conversations with loved ones who harbor doubts about Jesus can be one of the most challenging aspects of our spiritual journey. In a recent episode of "The Peaceful Mompreneur," author Constance Hastings shared her unique perspective on reaching those with walls against faith, drawing from her own unconventional path to Christianity.
Constance brings a refreshingly different background to faith discussions. Raised by non-religious parents (her father owned a bar) but educated in a Christian school, she developed a faith foundation separate from her family's beliefs. This created an early awareness of what it means to live in two worlds – one of faith and one of skepticism. Her experience demonstrates how God works through unexpected channels, placing her in a Christian environment "for all the wrong reasons" that ultimately led to her salvation at a young age.
The evolution of Constance's faith journey reveals the patient, persistent nature of God's calling. After experiencing what she describes as a physical sensation of having her burden lifted at salvation, similar to Christian's experience in "Pilgrim's Progress," her faith journey continued with periods of drifting during college years. Yet God never let her fully walk away. Through relationships, particularly with her future husband, she was drawn back into church life. Most striking was her resistance to formally joining a church for twenty years, questioning the purpose of "putting her name on a list" when she observed others in the congregation who seemed to lack authentic faith. This reluctance only dissolved during Lent when she realized that Jesus himself refused to abandon his religious community despite its flaws.
What makes Constance's story particularly valuable for mothers navigating faith conversations is her emphasis on divine timing. Her call to ministry, her counseling practice, and even the conception of her book "The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away" all emerged not from her own planning but from God's persistent nudging. This perspective offers comfort to mothers anxious about loved ones who reject faith – God's timeline rarely matches our own, and his pursuit continues even when we don't see immediate results.
The brilliance of Constance's approach lies in her recognition that doubters need their questions honored rather than dismissed. The voice of skepticism literally interrupts the narrative throughout her book, bringing an "edgy" perspective that acknowledges real objections to faith. As she reads the opening paragraph, we hear this voice declare, "None of this 'believe it or you're going to burn' crap," setting a tone that speaks authentically to those who've been alienated by heavy-handed evangelism. This strategy creates space for doubtful loved ones to engage with Jesus' story without feeling judged or manipulated.
For mothers seeking to influence their children's faith journey, Constance's counsel is profoundly simple yet challenging: "Bloody your knees over it in deep prayer." Rather than offering tactical conversation strategies, she emphasizes relationship-building and divine timing. Just as Jesus watched the rich young ruler walk away without forcing his decision, we must recognize that genuine faith cannot be coerced. The lesson for mothers is that while we plant seeds through teaching, modeling, and providing opportunities for spiritual growth, ultimately conversion is God's work through his Spirit's timing.
Perhaps most encouraging is Constance's reminder that "even when we would walk away from God, the eyes of God still follow us." This image of divine patience offers hope to parents whose children appear to reject faith. The ongoing prayer, loving relationship, and willingness to engage honest questions creates fertile ground for the Holy Spirit's work, even when immediate results aren't visible. As Constance testifies regarding her own son's vibrant faith, consistent investment in spiritual formation bears fruit in God's perfect timing.
