1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
1 You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, 2 but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. 3 For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, 4 but, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals but to please God, who tests our hearts. 5 As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed, 6 nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, 7 though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. 8 So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.
…as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition.
I’ve been told many times that the better our ministry gets, the more opposition it stirs up. This has been proven true in my life, as well as in the lives of my colleagues, more times than I can count. Just think about it. Would the devil rather waste time disrupting a congregation that is asleep in the pews and doing nothing in its community, or would he rather concentrate on a congregation that is passionate for the Gospel. The answer is a no-brainer.
This “opposition” that St. Paul speaks of comes in many forms. Sometimes it’s just a subtle apathy that creeps through everything. Sometimes it’s a direct challenge from the outside world. And then there are those times when the opposition comes in the form of dissatisfaction and obstruction among congregational members themselves.
Remember, the devil is sneaky and, as the Prince of Liars, he’s really good at disruption. The only way to stand against his machinations is to remain united in our faith, firmly grounded in the Gospel, and prayerfully seeking God’s will in all things. Our spiritual disciplines of prayer, worship, study, almsgiving, and fellowship, keep us spiritually healthy and ready to face the slings and arrows that come our way.
Prayer: Lord Jesus: You know what it is to be tempted and tormented by the devil. Open our eyes to recognize those temptations and opposition and keep our hearts turned to you alone. AMEN