Opposition Happens

When life’s challenges surprise you, do you ever wonder why God did not protect you?

In this world, there are various forms of wickedness. Evil is unpleasant to talk about, but it’s real. Just because we have faith and expect pleasant things to happen, it doesn’t mean we won’t go through anything bad. Life happens. So, no matter how wonderful someone is, they’ll attract an opponent somewhere along the line.

When you face opposition, whether it’s when you’re trying to share the good news or doing something else, it’s important to have an umbrella. Ask God to protect you in your endeavors. That’s your umbrella—prayer.

Even if you’re hurting, pray for strength so you can overcome the pain. While you may think about your weaknesses, it’s better to focus on God’s faithfulness. The more you fix your eyes on God’s faithfulness, the more you will allow him to strengthen you so you can face the trials of life. Therefore, remember, God will not allow you to go through anything beyond the strength he supplies.

As you keep your faith in him and focus on his faithfulness, he may not remove everything you’re going through, but he will help you handle things with grace. God will defend you in his way and at the right time.

His ways are higher than our ways. So, your help may not come the way you imagine. The result may come in a way that surprises you or even humbles you. But the most important thing is that you can count on God’s faithfulness.

Father God, please protect me from evil and help me to face the world every day and everywhere I go. Strengthen me so I can overcome anything oppositional with grace. I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Go Deeper — Think about how faithful God is even when you’re not faithful. List a few things God has done for you in the past to show you that he is present in times of trouble.