As an adult, converting to Christianity can be life-changing and bring profound spiritual growth. When friends and family don’t share this faith, the journey can be tough. Feelings of isolation can grow without a supportive religious community nearby. Relationships can become strained, and emotional strength becomes essential.
There are various challenges when converting to Christianity as an adult, especially when being surrounded by non-believers. As someone who became a Christian well into adulthood, I will try to give you a glimpse of the emotional, social, and practical obstacles that a new Christian might encounter.
Emotional and Spiritual Isolation
The feeling of emotional and spiritual isolation is one of the biggest challenges for someone who converts to Christianity without family or friends who also believe in Christ. Oftentimes, converts may feel like they’re on their own navigating their spiritual journey without shared experiences, communal worship, and discussions with like-minded people. Self-doubt can creep in when you don’t have a supportive network, especially when you’re dealing with complex theological concepts or new faith emotions.
If you don’t have someone to share moments of spiritual growth, such as a meaningful prayer or a personal revelation, it may feel less valid. Often, converts yearn for support and guidance from family, but instead receive indifference or skepticism. It can be especially difficult to feel isolated during significant Christian milestones, such as baptism or attending church services, when familiar faces are absent.
Social Tensions and Misunderstandings
Conversion to Christianity can also strain relationships with non-believer friends and families. Loved ones will react with confusion, skepticism, or even hostility toward your new found beliefs. These reactions often stem from a lack of understanding of Christianity or discomfort with the changes they observe in your new behavior, values, or priorities. For example, choosing to attend church on Sundays instead of participating in family traditions or social gatherings like you had in the past can create tension, as your loved ones may feel rejected or sidelined. This may cause them to become aggressive verbally or more commonly they will behave passive agressively with snide remarks.
Moreover, non-believers may misinterpret the convert’s faith as a judgment on their own lifestyles or choices. This can lead to defensive or dismissive attitudes, further widening the gap between the convert and their circle. In some cases, friends or family may openly challenge the convert’s beliefs, leading to uncomfortable and sometimes outright hostile behavior.
In Conclusion
The journey of becoming a believer without a support system can seem overwhelming. However no matter what you lose you will gain much more when the dust settles. I know this from experience. After I became a believer, I literally lost everything when I became a Christian. My friends, my wife even my home to the point where I lived in my car.
But make no mistake I would endure through it all over again a hundred times over to have the peace I have now. I had no idea of the peace and calm that was inevitably brought to my life. Stay strong, stay faithful and try to be a bit better today than yesterday. The most important thing is to stay focused on His promises.
Until Next time: Courage and God Bless
