It’s only natural, I suppose, for us to hope and pray that our Savior will soon lift us from this life and take us to be with Him. It still hurts me deeply that so many will be left behind, knowing what they are facing in eternity. I want more to come with us, especially members of my family and friends who I know are not ready, but fear keeps slipping in because of not knowing God’s timetable and it prevents me from being more assertive in my evangelism. My question is, how do you personally stand up to this? Can you give me a little something more to hold on to?
Although we’re not privileged to know the specific time of the rapture, we can know that no other event has to precede it. Therefore it could happen on any given day. Knowing the state of advancement of other end times signs that will precede the 70th Week of Daniel helps us see that the rapture must be near.
You are not in a “do or die” situation here. Although plan B, the one for Tribulation believers, is not nearly as good as plan A, the rapture of the Church, it is another opportunity after the rapture for people to be saved before they’re consigned to an eternity without hope.
Throughout that last seven years, those you’ve spoken to will have a lot more evidence (including your departure) to confirm the validity of what you have told them, and your efforts could still bear fruit.
Also, you don’t have to do this by yourself. You are one of God’s children, whose Holy Spirit dwells within you, and greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
In His strength you can pray against your fear, which is from Satan, and you can pray for your family and friends, that their hearts will be open to what you have to tell them.
The prayers of righteous people are powerful and effective (James 5:16), and you have a righteousness from God that comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (Romans 3:22). It doesn’t get any better than that.