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“Many of us interpret resistance the wrong way.”

A thought by Chris Hodge from his book, The Daniel Dilemma: How to Stand Firm and Love Well in a Culture of Compromise (Kindle Locations 1172). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

I want us to continue down the vein of thought from the last blog because it is so important for us as Christ followers to understand and live by.

Chris says, “We face opportunities to exercise and grow in our faith. Spiritual testing is basically God’s pop quiz, a challenging situation or unexpected circumstance that reveals our potential, growth, and maturity.

“Many of us interpret resistance the wrong way. We can often view tests as nothing more than an attack of the Devil—but that’s not the case. The Enemy may try to attack us while we’re in the middle of a test, hoping we’ll be weaker and more vulnerable; but the kind of tests we’re talking about here are chances to grow, be promoted, and graduate to the next level. They’re not obstacles to be despised but instead are opportunities for advancement. In fact, they may mean you’re closer than ever to doing exactly what God has called you to do. Paul wrote, ‘I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me’ (Acts 20:23).”

Did you catch that, “…they may mean you’re closer than ever to doing exactly what God has called you to do.”

Chris goes on, “After facing numerous tests and trials in his life and ministry—everything from shipwrecks to jail cells, not to mention murderous crowds—Paul knew the value of these situations. He said, ‘Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope’ (Rom. 5:3–4). Later, he also encouraged us to ‘be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer’ (Rom. 12:12).

“And Paul wasn’t the only one with this counterintuitive message. James, the half-brother of Jesus, explained, ‘Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything’ (James 1:2–4). We can only grow in our faith if we’re tested—it’s that simple. It might not be what we want to hear, but it’s true.”


And John 8: 32 says, “...the truth will set you free.”  And it will, won’t it?
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