Expect It

Expect It

2 Timothy 3: ¹⁰ But you have followed my teaching, my conduct, and my purpose in life; you have observed my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance, ¹¹ my persecutions, and my sufferings. You know all that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, the terrible persecutions I endured! But the Lord rescued me from them all. ¹² Everyone who wants to live a godly life in union with Christ Jesus will be persecuted; ¹³ and evil persons and impostors will keep on going from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves.

 

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Walking a certain route home was the norm, but I deviated this particular day. I ran into some thugs who summoned me over. I ignored their request and started walking faster. I could hear then say “didn’t you hear me? Get over here!” my walk turned into a trot. I then heard someone say “Leave him alone!” It was a tough kid I knew who protected me.

 

• I did not expect to be ambushed.
• I did not expect any problems that day.
• I did not expect anything different to happen just by doing something innocent.

 

Paul warns Timothy that he will be persecuted. He then tells Timothy to remember all the times he personally had been persecuted. Paul recalls the suffering he went through and gives Timothy these harsh words. “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in union with Christ Jesus will be persecuted;”

 

My Observations

• GOD wants me to expect persecution in this life.
• Persecution will come from nowhere and I should be ready.
• Deceit is the norm for those who do not follow the LORD.

 

Following JESUS is tough. I mean, when I declared publicly that I follow JESUS, I thought life would be so much better. It sometimes got worse. Those who pretended to know HIM used deceit to gain my trust and proceeded to pour out their harm.

 

GOD wants me to be as wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. In other words, I should expect life to have deceitful people who pretend to follow GOD but really are deceiving themselves and others. I accept the fact that life will bring persecution and I am glad GOD gives me strength to endure.

 

Challenge

• What persecution do you think the writer is speaking of?
• Have you ever tried to follow JESUS and things went wrong?
• Will you expect trouble in life and ask GOD for strength to endure today?