We are on a trip for a family gathering in Columbus, Ohio, and yesterday I had no access to the internet so was unable to post. Sorry. Here is today’s post.
Trials “have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
1 Peter 1:7
“He who persists wins!” This is a saying by which we lived in the Middle East. There were so many obstacles to life and ministry that it would have been easy to give up and go home.
So often we were denied permission or presented with further obstacles when we tried to do the right thing. The government didn’t want us there, most locals didn’t want us there, some of our supporters didn’t even want us there! But we stayed in obedience to God.
Sadly, many workers did give up and leave. And this is not unusual, for in Christian circles many believers fail to persist in difficulties, moving from relationship to relationship, or church to church because things get difficult.
I believe that when God specifically calls us to a relationship, or church, or ministry, we should stay there until God specifically calls us away. We should not let Satan drive us away with hardships.
Parenthetically, let me add that when a person is in an abusive relationship or abusive church, the wisest thing often is to leave; that is a different situation. Clear doctrinal error can also be grounds to leave.
And there comes a time when God may call us on to new situations, as He called us to Germany for a time—but never in opposition to His stated will.
Paul had this attitude of sticking to it. In Philippians 3:14 he said, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Paul wasn’t about to give up because things were difficult (such as getting 39 lashes multiple times, being stoned and imprisoned, ship wrecked, being hungry, cold and sleepless) or because there are no results or he was left alone, as when everyone abandoned him when he was in prison.
He went on to say, “All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.” And maturity comes through making many small choices to obey God rather than culture, our feelings or the thoughts of man.
Paul prayed in Colossians 1:10 that we would be “strengthened with all power according to his glorious might SO THAT you may have great endurance and patience” Let’s pray that for ourselves and for our fellow believers, especially those being persecuted for Christ’s sake that we may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.
