Not all difficulty is persecution. Jesus said that in this world, we are guaranteed trouble. He also said that we should take heart and have peace because He overcame this world. The way that Christ described “suffering for His namesake” may haunt you, but know that it’s one of the indicators that you are where you need to be doing what you need to be doing. If you aren’t facing some sort of opposition, you may not be heading in the right direction. If you are enduring hostility because of your faith in Jesus, that’s persecution. Don’t let it make you afraid and retreat. Don’t let it make you hostile yourself and risk doing more damage. Let it lead you, like Paul, to keep speaking boldly about Jesus and demonstrating what it’s like to live a life trusting completely in Him.
This podcast is dedicated to the Sunday morning teaching series happening each week at Rolling Hills Church in Nashville, TN.