Wednesday, February 25th

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February 25

Dealing with Opposition

Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

—Acts 14:23

If ever there was a test of the human body, mind, and soul, surely it must be war. War poses nearly every kind of challenge conceivable: it’s a test of courage, of physical ability, of mental sharpness, of loyalty and patriotism.

On a daily basis, soldiers face challenges of a magnitude most civilians can’t even comprehend: the prospect of having to take human life, the threat of being killed themselves, the absence of the comforts of home, and the long stretches of time they’re separated from family and friends.

But perhaps one of the most significant challenges faced by those on the front lines is one we might not immediately consider: endurance. It’s not just that soldiers have to put up with those difficulties; it’s also that they don’t know how long they’ll have to.

During World War II, after the Invasion of Normandy in June 1944, most Americans believed the Allied victory was close at hand. Most of the troops weren’t issued winter uniforms because the generals were convinced they wouldn’t be in Europe long enough to need them. The soldiers, meanwhile, talked among themselves in their foxholes about being home by Christmas.

But weeks became months, and still the fighting continued. Many of the soldiers grew weary in the waiting, and a few grew so desperate that they took drastic measures to get home. In the midst of mortar exchanges with the Germans, some American GIs stuck a foot out of their foxholes in an attempt to get wounded badly enough to be sent home. But there were other soldiers who found a way to endure despite the opposition and hardships.

Paul and Barnabas weren’t in a war, per se, but they faced fierce opponents—spiritual snipers, perhaps—who were looking to shut down their ministry, cause them harm, and even take their lives, if necessary. These men were faced with a decision: Would they choose self-preservation and head home, or would they endure despite the opposition?

Remarkably, Paul and Barnabas were undaunted by the challenges and obstacles they faced. They would preach in one place until their lives were in too much danger, and then they’d flee to another city. They’d minister there for as long as they could until they were driven out again. They may have been diverted to new locations, but their mission never wavered. The new cities just meant that God was using them to spread the gospel even farther. Acts 14:7 makes it clear that they never lost sight of their calling: after they fled to new cities, “they continued to preach the good news.”

Perhaps one of the most remarkable details about the endurance of these men happened just after Paul was stoned and left for dead. Anyone would have understood if he and Barnabas decided to take an early retirement at that point, but instead, they immediately returned to Lystra and Iconium—the very cities where they’d been threatened and attacked (see Acts 14:21-22).

What difficult situation are you facing right now? What would it look like to endure, as Paul and Barnabas did, in the midst of that situation?

—Stephanie Rische