City Life Starter

Written by Aisha Darwesh

The Word

¹⁶ And what is sown on gravel represents those who hear the message and receive it joyfully, ¹⁷ but because their hearts fail to sink a deep root, they don’t endure for long. For when trouble or persecution comes on account of the message, they immediately wilt and fall away.

Mark 4:16-17 (TPT)

Aisha’s Analysis

The above scripture is an excerpt from the parable of the sower in which Jesus is describing the different types of ground that do and do not produce a harvest. In the scripture above, the ground did not yield a harvest because persecution arose for the Word’s sake.

It’s important to note that any time we make a decision to believe God’s Word, the Word will be tested. While the devil comes with persecution to destroy us and get us to place our faith in something else, our devotion to the Lord and His Word in the midst of trying circumstances will only make us stronger. 

Nobody likes going through persecution and hard times, but have you noticed something? Those are the times we grow the most in our faith and in our relationship with God. There’s a very special intimacy we can have with God when we choose to believe Him and stick by Him whether we see any fruit or not. 

Let’s take Paul, the Apostle, as an example. He was beaten and thrown in prison for no other reason than preaching the Gospel. He was shipwrecked and marooned on an island. He had to go through one impossible situation after another all for Christ’s sake. What kept him going? 

He gives us a vital clue in Romans 8:35 (ESV): 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

From the above verse, we find out what Paul was holding onto in the midst of hardship: Christ’s love. We also find that persecution cannot separate us from God’s all-consuming love. This love not only sustains us through hardship, but also gives us the power to overcome it: No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Romans 8:37 ESV).

Our devotion to the Lord and His Word stems not out of duty or obligation, but out of a rich relationship, a love that just never quits: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39 ESV).

To endure persecution, Christ’s love has to be real to us. We must firmly resolve once and for all that nothing can separate us from God’s love. His love provides a rest and security like nothing else can. We put our hope and faith in so many things, thinking those are the things we want and that they’ll give us freedom. In truth, putting our faith in anything other than God means our bondage. 

Sometimes, we push God away to pursue our own agenda. This sets us on a course for disappointment. Even if we get what we want, it can’t satisfy us the way a fulfilling relationship with God can. The only way to stay fruitful is to stay connected to Christ. 

Love at its best is reciprocal. As we grow in our understanding of what Christ did for us, the fact that He gave everything for us, our only reasonable response is to give everything to Him. It’s not hard to stay committed to something that works, something that satisfies us to the core. 

While Paul did have to endure some less than ideal situations, he had the power of God within him to turn every one of those situations around for the glory of God. When he was beaten and imprisoned for preaching the Gospel, he started a great prison ministry and was able to share Christ with the jailer and other prisoners (Acts 16). When he was stranded on the snake ridden island of Malta, he held a mass healing service for the native people of that island and they saw a great demonstration of the healing power of God (Acts 28). 

When we encounter persecutions, that’s not the time to turn tail and run; it’s the time to sing and shout with rejoicing. Persecution is one of the ways we can personally identify with Jesus; it’s like a divine stamp of approval—we belong to Him. 

21 But they will do all this to you [inflict all this suffering on you] because of [your bearing] My name and on My account, for they do not know or understand the One Who sent Me

John 15:21 (AMP)

In times of persecution, a believer’s true colors come out. That’s when we can know beyond the shadow of a doubt that we belong to God and that the very nature of God indwells us. When we can respond to evil with the Love of God, evil doesn’t stand a chance. 

Application

How do you respond to persecution? It’s only natural to be averse to it, but when it does arise–and it will if you ascribe to Christ–count it all joy. Don’t let persecution prevent you from pursuing Christ. He’s worth it!

Prayer

Precious Lord Jesus, thank You for everything You endured to set me free from the bondage of sin and death. Because of You, I have eternal life, and I want to live it in sweet surrender to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.