That this unsurpassed tranquillity can be ours when persecuted is suggested by the case of faithful Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Just before he was moved by holy spirit to give a final courageous witness, the Bible account states: “As all those sitting in the Sanhedrin gazed at him, they saw that his face was as an angel’s face.” (Acts 6:15) He did not have the downcast face of a wrongdoer but the countenance of an angel, a messenger of God, with confidence that he had Jehovah’s backing. Stephen was courageous and serene. (Compare John 14:27.) After he exposed their guilt in the murder of Jesus Christ, the judges “felt cut to their hearts and began to gnash their teeth at him.” But Stephen, “being full of holy spirit, gazed into heaven and caught sight of God’s glory and of Jesus standing at God’s right hand.” Strengthened by that vision, Stephen could face those unrighteous judges with courage and confidence that he had done Jehovah’s will. (Acts 7:52-56) Although Christians today do not expect to have such a vision, they can have God-given serenity as they meet persecution with endurance. 11 Meditate on Jehovah’s Word, dealings and purposes. Even if deprived of a Bible and Scriptural publications, dwell on God’s Word. Recall Bible verses and accounts, doing so throughout the day and during sleepless nights. (Compare Psalm 77:2, 6, 11, 12.) Think about Jehovah’s marvelous dealings with his persecuted or oppressed people of the past. For instance, reflect on how God delivered the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, sustained Daniel and his three Hebrew associates in their trials, preserved the Jews in the days of Mordecai and Esther, and upheld the apostles and other early Christians in their sufferings for righteousness’ sake. (Exodus 12:1–15:21; Daniel 3:1-30; 6:1-28; Esther 3:1–9:32; Acts 4:1–5:42; 12:1-17; 14:1-7, 19, 20; 16:16-40; 18:12-17; 19:23-41; 21:26–26:32) Think, too, of the way Jehovah has supported his modern-day servants in Nazi concentration camps, communist prisons and the like. When persecuted, worshipers of Jehovah can sense the support of God’s “everlasting arms.”—Deuteronomy 33:27, An American Translation. 12 Suffering will end. Remembering this will also help us to meet persecution with endurance. Furthermore, ‘God will repay tribulation to those causing it for us,’ while giving us relief. (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10) Therefore, during our sufferings as witnesses of Jehovah, we should look to the future, confident that our hardships will cease and faithfulness will result in rich blessings from our heavenly Father. For example, in time we may be released from prison and again enjoy freedom to serve him without restraint as joyful Kingdom proclaimers. But even if that does not happen promptly, our suffering will not last forever. And we can endure it if we trust Jehovah completely and maintain our confidence in the fulfillment of his promise of unparalleled blessings in the foretold New Order.—Revelation 21:1-4; compare 2 Corinthians 1:19, 20. 13 God will not let us be tried beyond what we can bear. The apostle Paul gave that assurance when he wrote: “No trial has assailed you except what belongs to man; and God is faithful, who will not permit you to be tried beyond your ability; but with the trial, will also direct the issue, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, The Emphatic Diaglott) Not all Christians are called upon to endure the same sufferings. Hence, there is no reason to think of the worst possible form of brutal persecution as necessarily being inevitable in our individual case. Jehovah will not fail us or allow anything to come upon us that we individually cannot bear in his strength and with the help of his holy spirit. Of course, we must rely on him
Posted on: Sun, 08 Sep 2013 14:22:13 +0000