Strength through Struggle - Day 168 Month 6-17 Week 24-7
Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year)
Judges 5, Psalm 134, Jeremiah 45:1-46:12, Acts 7:54-8:3
Strength through Struggle
In Acts chapter 7, we are introduced to Saul, a young man who was present as Stephen was being stoned. We later learn much more about Saul, and many of the letters in the New Testament are written by him. At this point, however, Saul was in “hearty agreement” with Stephen’s execution. It appears that Stephen’s death became a catalyst for a great persecution against the church, which had been growing like wildfire.
Saul was “ravaging the church.” He was “dragging off men and women” and putting them in prison. Saul was clearly someone to be feared, and as a result, the followers of Jesus were “all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.” I am sure the religious leaders in Jerusalem thought this would be the end of the movement. After all, the believers who had become influential as one large group were now scattered. It certainly sounded bad. It seemed as though something that had begun with great power and growth would now struggle to survive.
Of course, that is not what happened. The church became even stronger.
This pattern has repeated itself throughout history. Whenever followers of Jesus are persecuted, the church often grows stronger. We see it today in places such as Iran, Afghanistan, China, and Nepal. Despite strict government restrictions and opposition to Christianity, Iran and Afghanistan have seen hundreds of thousands of Muslims become followers of Jesus in recent years. Underground house churches continue to fuel growth in Nepal and China despite intense persecution. We are also seeing some growth in North America, although not to the same degree as in many of these more restrictive countries.
God does not cause persecution or suffering, but when those things occur, He often uses them to grow His church. The more people and governments attempt to stop its growth, the more they seem to fail.
I believe this principle is also true on a personal level. I have mentioned before on this blog that I experienced a personal crisis in my mid-thirties that included the breakup of my marriage and several other major life difficulties. During that season, I struggled with depression and anxiety and even considered ending my life. By God's grace, I made it through. Looking back, however, I can see that it became one of the greatest periods of spiritual growth in my life as a follower of Jesus.
God uses difficult times both to grow us personally and to grow His church.
If you are a follower of Jesus and are struggling right now, keep your focus on Him and lean on other believers to help carry you through. When you begin to see light at the end of the tunnel, and you will, you may find that you see Jesus more clearly than ever before.
If you are not a follower of Jesus, call out to Him. Admit that you cannot do life on your own and ask Him to become the centre of your life. If you would like to know more, or if you have already made that decision, I would love to hear from you. My email is below, and you are also welcome to leave a comment on this blog.
Have a great day!
Steve
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