Based on Acts 22:1-24 (New King James Version)
“‘Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.’ And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent. Then he said: ‘I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished. Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.’ And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus. Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him. Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’ Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’ So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ Then He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.’’ And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, ‘Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!’ Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air, the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him.”
Why do difficult things sometimes happen? If we look at things through the Word of God, difficult things occur most times because we have not done things well, because a person has committed sin or sins and they are experiencing in some way the consequences of those actions. And quite frankly, absolutely all of us have experienced this in one way or another, and we continue experiencing these consequences because they may have lasting effects. This is what we should realize, and that’s why the Word of God and the Holy Spirit guide us to stop doing those things that are wrong, those that do not bring about any good, but actually quite the contrary, that they only bring about painful consequences. But there are certain instances that certain things may be suffered not because there has been deliberate sin, but rather, because there is another end that God is looking for, because God allows for all things to happen, both the good as well as what can be seen as difficult, but everything has a purpose. Nothing is just because, especially in the life of a disciple of the Lord.
There is something that I am going to say that will not please many, and it is the reason for why many only look for the benefit of salvation, and not to serve God. They want a Savior, but not a Lord. They want to go to heaven and be able to attain all the promises and blessings from God, but without any kind of commitment, and least of all, without any kind of desire to serve the Lord. That is why these so-called popular gospels that have come out in these end times (signs of the end) are precisely so popular, because many people like the idea of receiving God’s salvation, and for God to fix their problems here, and the idea that they can obtain heaven and all kinds of crowns and heavenly rewards without doing anything for them. It is taught many times that there is nothing else to be done, and in addition, if a person is told to do something, that whoever is saying it is turning back to the law and to works. In summary, an easy, irresponsible, and as a result, antibiblical gospel is being taught, and that is why we have what we have today, a universal church full of sin, disorder, bad testimony, and darkness, such that the world cannot distinguish between themselves and so-called believers. Frankly, the world that needs to see the light of Christ cannot see it because of so much sin.
The issue is that there will be moments where we will suffer not because we did something wrong, but quite the contrary, for trying to do those things that God commands, for things that go against the flesh. Tough times will occur that God Himself will allow to happen to take us beyond, to see if we truly love Him, if we are willing to pay the price for following Him, like we saw here in the Apostle Paul. Following Christ bears a price, in one way or another, whether it be persecution, difficult circumstances, and so on; tough times will come and the question that God makes throughout all of that is: Do you love me? We read of the same here: “Now great multitudes went with Him [just like now]. And He turned and said to them, ‘If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:25-33.
The Lord will allow things to happen that will finally take us to the path of sanctification, to continue helping us let go of the sin that can still ensnare us, the sin that can interfere with our walk towards eternity. And those moments will also be for giving testimony to that cloud of witnesses, to show that different circumstances can be endured for love for the Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit. We cannot do things alone, but only through the power of the Holy Spirit. But that dedication, that determination that can be seen in us (like Paul’s faith that we just read about) can also help strengthen the faith of others. So then, are you willing to go through anything, even injustices, for love for God, so you can get to the true goal that His Word promises? Lord bless! John