Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
–1 Peter 4:16
You and I will never be immune to the trials and suffering that come with living in this world because we live in a world that is in pain. We live in a world that is cursed and contaminated by sin.
As a result, there are times when will find ourselves caught in the crossfire of severe trials such as death, disease, pain… and even persecution for our faith.
Now, God never promised to keep us out of the crossfire. But what he did promise was that when we’re in the crossfire, he’d be there with us!
Remember Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? When everyone was ordered to bow down to the statue of King Nebuchadnezzar, these three young men refused. They refused to compromise their faith. And the king had them thrown into a fiery furnace as a result!
And you probably remember what happened next. God was there in the fire with them!
And the same is true for you as a follower of Jesus Christ. Whenever you’re caught in the crossfire of a trial or persecution for your faith, remember that the Lord Jesus is there with you. No, it may not always feel like he’s there, but he is, working out his perfect plan for your life.
I hope this encourages you no matter what crossfire you find yourself in today… or in the days to come.
WHENEVER YOU’RE CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE, REMEMBER THAT JESUS IS WITH YOU.
