A year ago I had the privilege to lead someone to Christ. For confidentiality reasons, I’m going to call him Sam.

Encouraged by my pastor to meet him regularly and help him understand the Bible, I set on a discipleship journey. I had no expectations to get anything in return for my time commitment. My biggest joy would be to see Sam growing in faith and love for Jesus.

But God always hides sneaky blessings behind every selfless action we do. This one wasn't an exception. Here are ten valuable lessons I got in the process.

I haven’t figured it all out

It’s a mind-blowing experience to find little gems of wisdom in the Bible. That’s the reason I love reading and studying the Word of God. I like when everything makes sense.

When a young born-again believer starts to discover truth after truth, it may seem like he’s been enlightened. It’s very natural to start feeling that you got everything figured out. The gut feeling creates an illusion that there will never be a problem that is smarter you.

Reading, sharing about the Bible, and listening to a young believer opened my eyes to see how often I thought that I got everything under control. Grabbing a principle and running with it as if it’s the one to rule them all, made me fall flat on my face. The same answer cannot solve all the problems.

God wants us to have wisdom and understanding. Paul wrote multiple prayers asking God to give understanding to followers of Jesus. However, when we think that we have the master key to unlock every door, we don’t use regular keys and get locked in. We have to be open to receive specific solutions whenever God instructs us.

I need to walk in step with God

Today we get access to almost everything we want in an instant. Information, entertainment, food, and comfort are one click away. Although, it wasn't like that before. Everything took time and effort.

Healthy growth needs time. I often run in front of God and take a wrong turn because I thought He was going to lead me that particular way. I shouldn’t expect to grow up as quickly as my lunch warms up in the microwave.

The impatience made me grow even slower. I saw God as a tired old man who has to preserve His energy. I was like a little boy exceeding in energy and running to places I shouldn’t. My hyperactivity and lack of patience made God wait for me until I came back from the wrong path.

It’s not Sam who wanted to grow up too quickly. I desired quick results in him. But throughout months, God reminded me that He is the One who gives the growth. If I want to grow, I need to keep in step with Him.

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:7, ESV)

Teaching others boosts my understanding

Sam often feels bad for taking so much of my time. Thankfully, I always have an answer. I remind him that I learn a lot by explaining. It helps me to get a deeper understanding of what I believe.

We often think we understand a principle well, but when we have to teach it to someone else, we discover all the gaps. When we keep the explanation to ourselves, we often have connected points that don’t actually join to each other, we have unanswered questions or contradictions. By explaining, we truly find out if everything fits together and functions the way it’s supposed to.

God is much more patient with me than I thought

To be honest, a few times I felt disappointed in the process of discipling Sam. There were times when I didn’t see the growth I desired, where I saw Sam making a wrong decision and forgetting what we talked about.

The blazes of frustration were always put out by God. He gently reminded me of His patience and asked me to be patient with Sam. It made me realize that I made many mistakes I didn't even know about.

Throughout the time of my growth, God never stopped believing in me. He even stood silent when I was making some of the mistakes. I stayed with Him and the wrong aspects of my life fell away without Him pointing at them.

When I see Sam or someone else doing something silly, I don't get irritated anymore. Sure, if it’s a serious matter, I speak up. If not, I trust God and the relationship individual has with Him that the Holy Spirit will balance out what’s necessary.

I’m carried by my pastors

Having someone who is relying on me opened my eyes to see what it means to be a leader. It’s a privilege and responsibility, but not a burden in a negative sense. I simply feel holding a heavier load of responsibility than just being on my own. There’s someone that relies on me to some extent because my pastor can’t walk with Sam the way I can.

If I feel this way about one person, how do my pastors live knowing they’re responsible for multiple people? How many sacrifices they have to make in order to help us? This understanding created a lot of respect for my leaders and everything they do for me. Actions that may have offended me or things I didn’t like about them turned into smoke.

Brian Tubbs wrote an amazing story on this topic from the perspective of a pastor. I will not even try to explain because Brian did a great job. If you want to know how to be a bigger blessing to your leaders, give it a read.

4 Ways Church Members Can Support Their Pastors

One clarification beats many mentions

I smiled when I thought that it’s a silly thing to say in a story with ten points. Although, I’m not going to write ten short stories. I’m here to share and inspire, not to explain.

When we start studying a new topic, we don’t remember much of the information. In the beginning, it doesn’t go in. Over time, we get familiar with the topic and can follow it easier.

When I started meeting Sam for the Bible reading sessions, I was excited and taught many things at once. When I look back, I feel like I was chasing rabbits. And I never caught one. Sam struggled to remember what we spoke about because it was too hectic. The only thing he remembered was the fact that I explained a lot of things.

I knew the strategy I used was flawed. God reminded me of the importance of laser-sharp focus. When the person has little to no understanding of the topic, explaining one thing well is better than shining torchlight on many.

I don’t need to pass on my struggles to someone else

When I was born again, I didn’t have someone to disciple me. I made a lot of mistakes and wrong decisions along the way. Even though I listened to hundreds of teachings online, I applied many principles incorrectly.

It’s a privilege to be giving something to Sam I didn't have in the beginning. For years I struggled to understand how faith works until I got it. I don’t tell Sam that faith is hard. I don’t want him to walk through the brambles I had to get through. He can be set on a good path from the beginning.

It was hard for me to hear God’s voice in the beginning. I struggled for a long time. When I explain to Sam about hearing God’s voice now, I simply tell him it’s natural for a child to hear the Father's voice. And you know what? He never struggled to hear Him.

“Difficult” is a very dangerous word that takes every opportunity to steal our inheritance. Jesus didn’t use this word often.

The Bible is clear that faith and hearing God is simple. I would do badly even by mentioning that most Christians struggle with these principles. Sam will find out later, but by that time he won’t be able to relate to the struggles.

It’s powerful to see the Holy Spirit producing fruit

As you know by now, it’s not my great explanations nor my perfect example that makes Sam grow as a follower of Jesus. It’s God Himself doing the work.

I knew Sam long before he surrendered to Jesus. After he was born again, he changed. The change is so evident that I feel like I’m speaking to another person. It’s encouraging to know Who is responsible for making the difference.

It’s true that God makes a believer a new creation. It’s not a lie that God takes away the stony heart that didn’t care about people and puts a heart of flesh that seeks to be a blessing.

I should never leave people as converts

It’s not good when someone gets born again and everything ends with this experience. We have the privilege to walk together and make them feel comfortable with the changes that took place in their lives.

There was a man I met once on the street when I was a young believer. He shared the Good News with me and led me through the salvation prayer. After that conversation, I never met him again. However, my heart longed for someone to take me by the hand and lead me on the path of knowing God.

There will be people who will not have a desire to meet regularly and speak about faith. Although, I chose to be always open to those that are willing. They are the ones that have a fertile heart for God’s word to be planted and produce a great harvest.

Let’s not waste these opportunities!

Discipleship is easy

For a long time, I thought that discipleship is a very complicated job assigned only to pastors. When I had to step into it myself I found that it’s not easy, it’s natural!

So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time.” (Matthew 28:19–20, ERV)

When Jesus told His disciples to pass on the message, He intended that the second generation also reaches out to the third. One command we ought to pass on is to make disciples. We should make every generation into disciples that can make other disciples.

If you consider yourself a follower of Jesus, you are qualified. You don’t need anything new. Only pass on what you know.

How? Simply by reading the Bible together, asking questions, and sharing what God has taught you.

Discipleship is allowing someone to stand on your shoulders. It’s giving all the best that you know so that a new believer would be set for an effective journey ahead. It’s God’s designed method to expand the Kingdom and give benefits to both sides: the young and the older.

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