I have come to realise that the Christian life is not exactly a fairy tale. You know those stories where a poor little orphan goes through a hard time in life and suddenly, against all odds, gets a major break in life and lives happily ever after.
I wish I could say that it will always be that way but that is certainly not the case. On the contrary, the Christian life is characterised with challenges, persecution and suffering. While these may come in different forms and intensity, it is certainly not uncommon.
Over the last couple of years, I have read several news articles about Christians in the work place being suspended or even fired for talking about their faith or wearing an accessory which expresses their faith. Christians have been taken to court for refusing to offer a service which opposes what they believe. School children have been challenged for talking about God. Christians have been challenged by the police for sharing their faith in public. While it is acceptable to for people to curse and swear and use all sorts of profane language at work and in other public places, it appears Christians are forbidden to talk about God. Even the media appears to be biased against Christians for fear of “offending” others.
I remember reading some of these articles and wondering “what’s the difference between the UK and Syria?” Not everyone will agree that there is any basis for such a comparison but I wonder how bad it has to become before we realise that there is a problem. Irrespective of what the issues are, that fact is that Christians are being persecuted in many countries.
While the world will expect us to compromise, we should all have a solid resolve to stand for our faith
I have however, come to realise that none of this is particularly new. Throughout history, we see Christians persecuted for their faith. A study of church history shows that almost all the disciples and apostles of old where persecuted and martyred. They were flogged and beaten, imprisoned and banished – all for their faith. From death by stoning, to hanging, beheading and crucifixion, they suffered horrendous deaths but they knew there was more than this life could ever offer. They counted it a privilege to suffer the Christ sake. For them, their faith was of more value than their lives and were willing to die for what they believed in.
While the world will expect us to compromise, we should all have a solid resolve to stand for our faith. Like the 3 Hebrew boys in Babylon we should not bow to the “idols” which have been set up by the world we live in. While these may not be physical idols, we all face pressure to bow or succumb to societal pressures – things that are against our faith, but we should not be Christians only when things are good or easy.
In the light of this, what should our response or attitude be? Jesus clearly stated that we would face persecution in this world, but ultimately, we win. How comforting it is to know that the troubles we may go through in this life is nothing compared to the joy and the glory that awaits us. We should draw comfort and strength from the knowledge that we are not alone and God will give us the courage we need to stand firm.
Also, there are other things we can do. There are many organisations which are involved in fighting for justice and the rights of Christians as well as religious freedom globally. We can all do what we can to support them. We must also remember to pray for other Christians who are facing intense persecution in some countries. If you are facing persecution of any sort, stay strong and be encouraged. You are not alone.
Christian Hub 