In all things and always, He is building me into the person He envisioned when He first breathed air into my lungs and crafted His hope-filled plans for my life.
I’ve experienced numerous seasons of opposition during my twenty-plus years of following Jesus. On occasion, the resistance felt minor, such as when family or friends didn’t understand my calling. Other times, I’ve felt bombarded by an intense and relentless spiritual attack. Sadly, I’ve also had times when I’ve allowed the pressure and hostility from others to slow my progress and hinder my impact.
If you serve Christ in any way, I imagine you can relate. Throughout Scripture, we see the forces of darkness continually attempting to extinguish God’s light radiating through His children. Jesus told us to expect trouble, but He also said to take heart, or stir our courage within, because He has overcome the world. And through our union with Him, we become overcomers as well.
The question, then, is how can we live as called and empowered children of the victorious King when we feel overwhelmed and bombarded?
First, We Seek Jesus
Sometimes our struggle indicates we are doing precisely as God desires. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that our enemy, the devil, “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” He wants to steal every gift God has given us, distort God’s image radiating from us, and thwart His life-giving mission executed through us.
Scripture also records other times when God uses resistance to redirect His children. Consider Paul’s second missionary journey. Based on what we read in Acts 16, he and his ministry team wanted to bring the gospel to Asia and Bythinia. However, the Holy Spirit stopped them and led them instead to Macedonia. Their obedience resulted in the first Christ-following church in ancient Europe and a transformed group of men and women who later became a necessary source of emotional and financial support for Paul.
Last year was one of the most painful and difficult seasons I’ve endured for some time. Discouraged and fatigued, I turned to God in prayer, and He responded by encouraging me to persist. But then, about eight months later, His guidance shifted. He stopped calling me to persevere in one particular and fruitful assignment and instead invited me to relinquish my role so that He could fill it with someone else. Initially, I assumed I’d heard Him incorrectly. But after receiving the same message numerous times from numerous sources, I started to recognize—and heed—the gentle voice of my attentive Father.
The peace I experienced in both instances assured me that I was walking in God’s plans, and I’ve discovered that is the most fulfilling location possible. This reminded me not to assume God’s will for me today will be the same as that which He reveals tomorrow.
Second, We Stay Alert
There is a spiritual battle raging behind the scenes.
If you’ve spent much time in church or around Christ-followers, you might have heard people quote some part of Ephesians 6:12. This verse tells us that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Yet, if you’re like me, you might know this intellectually but lose sight of this truth when others become antagonistic. Knowledge without Spirit-led application provides little if any power. To stand “strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” as Ephesians 6:10 states, we need to remain aware and fully armed by recognizing and living in the authority we have in Christ. This means that whenever we feel like weak and insufficient victims, we remind ourselves that we are God’s victorious children. As Scripture states, greater is He, the Holy Spirit, Who is in us than he, the devil, who is in the world.
Third, Hold Tight to God’s Promise
He will work everything for our good.
Many years ago, while dealing with significant hurts related to ministry, God told me He was using my struggle to train me for what lay ahead. This helped me view my circumstances with hope, which in turn gave me the inner grit I needed to finish that season strong.
He’s spoken similar reminders over the years, assuring me that He never wastes a tear or frustrating moment. In all things and always, He is building me into the person He envisioned when He first breathed air into my lungs and crafted His hope-filled plans for my life. This is true for all of us. Therefore, may we view our difficulties with joy, knowing that, according to James 1:2-4, our God is bringing us to a place of maturity, maximum impact, and wholeness.
Fourth, We Remember We’re Not Alone
Scripture tells us that God will never leave us or forsake us. This is a beautiful promise able to bolster our souls when we feel frightened and weak. But the Bible also told us that we need one another. Jesus’ prayer on the night before He died shows us how much He longs to see us live interdependently with one another. In John 17:21, He asked His Father to make us one just as He and the Father are One.
For the past two years, I’ve attended a retreat for women communicators. In both instances, I arrived tired and discouraged. Listening to others share their struggles, and ways God met them in them, encouraged and inspired me. These stories reminded me of the beautiful, eternal story God is writing through each one of us. (I admired one of these women so much that I invited her to join me on my Faith Over Fear podcast. You can listen to this episode, titled “When Obedience Leads to Hostility” HERE.)
Fifth, We Remain Well-nourished
When life feels hectic and my stress rises, I’m tempted to work harder and faster in the hopes of alleviating whatever appears to be limiting my progress. But this results in futility and increased exhaustion. I fool myself whenever I think I can solve anything or accomplish anything of eternal value in my wisdom and strength.
Whenever I turn to self-reliance, I distance myself from Christ and His power.
If I want God-sized results, I’ll work from a place of deep connection. Jesus stated it this way: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
If you’re a gardener, this analogy might remind you of the plants that produce ripe and juicy vegetables. Once picked, however, they not only stop growing; they begin to die. This principle holds true for us as well. So long as we remain connected to Christ, depending on His might at work in and through us, we thrive. When we allow the busyness of life to dictate our agendas, however, crowding out precious moments with our Savior, the influence of the indwelling Spirit decreases and our souls start to dehydrate. This leads to meager fruit, or results, and often, regret.
I noticed this most starkly years ago when our family fostered a traumatized and angry teenager. While we felt certain this was what God wanted, the assignment surprised us. We’d learned about this child, and his need for a home, mere days before he arrived. This happened to be a busy period for me. I was attending college classes, preparing for speaking engagements, and working to fulfill writing deadlines, all while serving at my church and investing in my husband and daughter.
I knew I’d need to adjust my schedule. I wasn’t prepared, however, for how much attention this youth ended up needing. Stressed, there were days when, feeling short on time and high on responsibilities, I rushed through my Bible reading and prayer. Often, this led to me responding poorly, and certainly, with less effectiveness than if I’d lived more deeply rooted in Christ. Not only did this weaken my impact, but the guilt that typically followed tended to further exacerbate my inner angst.
In contrast, I discovered that whenever, despite whatever sat on my to-do list or catastrophes appeared to be banging on my office door (figuratively, and on occasion, literally), I chose to step away to rest in God’s presence, I experienced supernatural peace and the perfect insight and wisdom for the child and whatever issue arose.
This reminds me of Jesus’ words to His disciples on the night before His death. He began by warning them of the persecution they’d soon face, why they’d encounter such hatred, and how they could faithfully execute their mission. He told them that the prince of the world, the devil, was coming, but that they would have everything they needed, through the Holy Spirit, to live as history-changing overcomers.
The same is true for us. Whenever we seek to honor God, whether that means raising children to love the Lord, demonstrating integrity at the workplace, launching a ministry, or serving overseas, we will face opposition. But no amount of resistance can negate God’s plans for our lives or disarm His Spirit within us. What’s more, the God who loves, formed, and called us has promised to use all things—our greatest challenges and frustrations included—for our good and His glory.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Deagreez
Jennifer Slattery is a writer and speaker who co-hosts the Faith Over Fear podcast and, along with a team of 6, the Your Daily Bible Verse podcast. She’s addressed women’s groups, Bible studies, and taught at writers conferences across the nation. She’s the author of Building a Family and numerous other titles and maintains a devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLou
She’s passionate about helping people experience Christ’s freedom in all areas of their lives. Visit her online to learn more about her speaking or to book her for your next women’s event, and sign up for her free quarterly newsletter HERE and make sure to connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and GodTube.
