“The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” (Acts 23:11)
What an unbelievable man of courage Paul was! He never ever backed away from a confrontation or gave in to those who opposed him. He stood courageously for the Gospel everywhere he went and saw every fight, every riot, every false charge, and every trial as an opportunity to share the Gospel with everyone he encountered. Incredible.
As I search my heart and my life I find that I do everything in my power to avoid confrontation and difficult circumstances. I fear things spiraling out of control and something coming my way that will do me or my reputation harm. But Paul embraced it. He knew His God and He knew that His God was in control. As a result, nothing spiraled out of control. Nothing was too difficult to face. Every confrontation and every possible outcome was worth it if it meant spreading the Gospel of Christ.
Lord, develop that kind of courage in my heart. Make me a man that embraces any difficulty and any confrontation if it means furthering Your Kingdom. Amen…
