On this rock...

This morning while I was reading I came across a verse in the book of Psalms that was so very encouraging. I always read a chapter of Psalms and another book of the bible when I do my reading and sometimes I will come across something I find in Psalms that I just have to share with you.

I don't know if this is just me or not, but do you ever really look at what is going on in the world around us and think "oh crap, it's over for us Christians?" Or think that there really isn't too much to be hopeful for? It's easy when you are a student in college to go days without seeing what is going on the news, but when you do, what do you usually think? There is so much negativity that is going on in our world. I am not trying to be a Debbie downer or Johnny rain cloud, I am just being real. You turn on the news and see that there is political unrest, shootings, migrant caravans all over the world, etc. There never seems to be anything good that is going on. If there is something good that happens you only here about a really briefly.

That paragraph isn't my main point. The point I want to bring up is that when there is negative circulation around all aspects of life, it's sometimes easy to give up hope. It seems like Christians keep having to accept more beliefs and ideas that normally wouldn't be accepted. The culture is changing. Christians are persecuted all over the world.

Sometimes it feels like the persecution might take a toll, but it never will. It's like we get broken down but are never destroyed.

"they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
but they have not gained victory over me." (Psalm 129:2)

The people of Israel were persecuted from their earliest days but never destroyed completely. The same is true for the church and for you and I. Christians have faced times of severe persecution, but the church has never been destroyed. As Jesus said to Peter (which means "rock"), "On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it" (Matthew 16:18). 

When we face persecution and discrimination, take courage-the church will never be destroyed. I encourage you to really let stick in your hearts and minds. Remember that daily. There are times where we will be persecuted and broken down but we will never be destroyed. When all of the crazy things that are happening in this world are going on, you will never be destroyed. Have confidence in times of persecution!