They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

We often do not think of the fact that there will be hard times because we are Christians. Paul tells us to remain true to our faith. We read about the hardships of being in prison, of being stoned to death, of leaving loved ones behind, and much more in the Bible. The reason we need to know these things is so, when our trials come, we will remain faithful. The trials will come. They came to Jesus, they came to the apostles, and they came to the first century church. If this is what we read about, then why do we not prepare for the hard times to come to us? Why do we pretend that we are so important that hard times will cease when we decide to follow the Father who created us. I wonder how we think it will even be plausible. God does not miraculously make our life free of trials just because we choose to follow Him

SO, let the hard times come; they will anyway. Embrace them; I will not be so bold as to say enjoy them. Be thankful we have Jesus to walk with us as we go through them. Strive to learn how we can help others see Christ through us. Sometimes, in the midst of pain, when we hold on to our Father with so much earnestness, others are able to see God in ways He is not visible to them at any other time.

SO, go be that Bible. Go be that story that takes God’s word to the world, or at least to your small portion of it. Hold your head high and know that, through God, all things are possible and it is God’s strength that will see you through, not your own!