Some of the hardest days in my life have been days of rejection and persecution from the people I care about most in this world. Being marginalized and cancelled out from loving fellowship with them because of my faith in Christ and my obedience to His commands is a hardship I would not want anyone to experience. Even though, in God’s providence and by His foreknowledge, He works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28) These situations are very tough when we are in them and they cause us to either draw closer to the Lord or drift away. But yet, the Lord has given us a guide to follow. We can look to our Savior in the Gospels to see, this is what He experienced as well and He is our example to follow. He gives us a warning that these things will happen if we follow Him and Peter teaches us that we will face various trials, but for our benefit, the testing of our faith (1 Peter 1:3-9). In John 15:18-27, Jesus instructs us,

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me…But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.’ “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”

God does not leave us alone in these moments (John 14:16-17, Hebrews 13:5, Matthew 28:20, Romans 8:38-39). His Word is a source of promises and a treasure chest of hope (Psalm 119:24; 28-33). His Holy Spirit is our guide and our strength. We must trust in His promises and seek His will for this is the only way we will overcome these hardships. This is what Christ did, He is our example (1 Peter 2:21, John 4:34; 6:38). We must pick up our cross daily and follow Him (Matthew 16:24, Luke 14:27).

These trials I am experiencing have led to the creation of Herald the Truth Ministry and the mission of doing what Jesus said we would do who are followers of Him,

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”

So I testify and share His truth so that the lost may be found, the Church may be equipped and the Lord may be glorified until His return.

To thrive in life, we must seek God’s perspective, surrender to His will, and trust Him to provide what we truly need. Are you doing these things today? I encourage you, Christian, follow Him and trust in His word, you will never be forsaken. No matter what type of trial you face, whether it is persecution, church hurt, illness or another, people are watching how we respond. Do we respond like those who trust in the Lord and turn everything over to Him? Or, do we respond in defeat and reliance on our own strength? We have all responded by the latter at one time or another, but there is a better way. A way that brings peace beyond understanding (John 14:27) and the strength that comes only by the Lords grace (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

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