I read this beautiful text about persecution in a book and I couldn't resist sharing it 🌸🙏🏼
Turning Persecution into Blessings through Christ
When Jesus was on the verge of arrest (John 18:1-3), torture (John 19:1;Mark 15:15), and crucifixion (John 19:16-18), he went to the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36). Gethsemane means 'place of pressing'. The Garden of Gethsemane was a place where olives were pressed and cultivated. The only way to extract olive oil is by pressing the olive fruit. If you do not come under pressure in life or face persecution, you will not progress, and your endurance and resilience will be weak and frail, as indicated in James 1:2-4. Furthermore, you will never reach the treasures that the Lord has placed in you (2 Corinthians 4:7). Jesus' pinnacle of physical and emotional pressure was when he was crucified (Matthew 27:46). But he came alive on Easter Sunday (Matthew 28:6) and came out of the grave. One of the messages of Christ's resurrection is that the Lord uses our enemies to bless us (Romans 8:28).
Conclusion
In life's crucible of persecution, remember Jesus' journey from Gethsemane to resurrection. Such trials refine us, revealing inner strength and paving the way for blessings (Romans 5:3-4). Trust in Christ's transformative power amidst adversity (2 Corinthians 12:10).
Resources
You might find the following resources helpful:
- Free Audio Bibles: https://peplamb.com/free-audio-bibles/
- Bible App: https://bible.peplamb.com
