THE STONE OF PERSECUTION
2 Corinthians 4:8–9 “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;”
What is persecution? It is being treated with hostility, especially concerning race, political, or religious beliefs. It is being harassed and annoyed by people because of these things. Some people have faced more persecution than others, even to the point of death. Persecution does happen to all of us in some way or another, and when it does, we must not yield to the effects of it, because it will put stones in our soil. 2 Timothy 3:12 says, “Yes, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” So, if you are going to live a godly life, there will be some form of persecution in your life. So that’s you, so let’s address this potential stone in the soil of your heart.
The Apostle Paul probably had more persecution than anyone else in the Word of God. If he could handle all that he went through, surely we can deal with what comes to us. Our verse for today clearly tells us some of the things Paul dealt with on a daily basis. It tells us what he went through, but then how he didn’t let it get in him. Troubled on every side, but he didn’t get distressed or stressed about it. He had some perplexing situations, but he didn’t get in despair. Everywhere he went, he was cast down, threatened, beaten, thrown in prison, put on trial, but it never destroyed him internally. Then our subject, he was always persecuted, not just by the Jews, but even by brothers in Christ, but God was always on his side. God promised him and us that He would never forsake us, that He would stick closer than a brother.
Why do people let persecution bother them? Why do they let it trouble them? Why do they internalize it? I guess there are various reasons. They get overwhelmed. They hang around people who focus on it all the time, constantly rehearsing it internally and with others. We cannot let that persecution distract us or define us. We must treat it like Paul and the early church, more of a catalyst. It motivates us to serve God and continue believing and helping others with the Good News of the Word of God. We have to agree with Paul and say, “None of these things move me,” in Acts 20:24. In 2 Corinthians 12:10 Paul said it this way, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.” Take pleasure in them? That’s what he said. The verse before says, “I will rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” If you and I can ever turn that persecution into something we glory over and take pleasure in, it will turn our lives around. That is when the glory and power of God show up in our lives. Then with the Apostle Paul we can say, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” Don’t let persecution ever become a stone in your soil because persecution messed you up!