Strength in Afflictions

Reflection

In the early part of my faith, I remember hearing this evangelistic message that everything would get better once you accepted Jesus. There was this idea that life would become perfect and all our troubles would go away. It’s a message that still floats around today, albeit with a slight twist. And yes, life did get better because of the hope and joy found in Jesus. But the reality is, the difficulties of life didn’t disappear.

How do we reconcile that with the history of believers, especially the early church? They faced persecution, affliction, and trials in ways that were far beyond anything I had imagined. I would have loved to have known this early on in my walk with Jesus, the truth that afflictions and persecutions are part of the Christian life. As believers, we are different. We sound different, look different, and our lives are meant to glorify Jesus: a Jesus that the world rejects and even hates.

Instead of getting upset that the world sees us this way, we should find strength in our afflictions. When we face challenges, we can be confident that God is using those moments to grow us. Through the fire, we are refined. Through the afflictions, our faith is made stronger. And through it all, the Lord promises to deliver us.