Persecution

Can I stand alone? Would I stand for Christ if it means I would be completely shunned by those around me? It’s the million dollar question when I think about persecution. I have little doubt that I would say ‘I believe’ if someone was holding a gun to my head and that answer meant the trigger would be pulled. The fear I have is that I couldn’t withstand ongoing persecution. Then again, that is the whole reason for the Holy Spirit as our comforter, right? Would you say the whole point is that we can’t do persecution alone and that is why we would develop a closer relationship with God and a close bond with the Holy Spirit?

This is on my mind this morning as I think about doing hard things in this world. It's easy to say I am going to do hard things for the Lord, but what are these things? Easy answers that first arise are "help at a charity" or "get into the Word with other Christians" or even "get involved in the Church." The harder answers are ones about persecution, because...who likes to be persecuted? I think about what Paul was talking about to the Corinthians, "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take PLEASURE in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." But then I think...what does this persecution even look like now? It's definitely not the same as during Paul's lifetime, although sometimes I wish that. But no, it's so different now. Of course it's around us when friends laugh at us for doing something with the Church, or even when we talk about God to unbelievers and they just kind of roll their eyes. How, then, can I be persecuted? Can I crave this painful thing so much as to, in my mind, dare people to persecute me for my love in a life with Christ? Could the response from my friends, or my persecutor drive the passion inside of me to keep on living in Christ and talking about Him to all?...even if they will try to make me look dumb for what I live in and for?

Do. Hard. Things.