Dear Ones,

Day by day, God comforts, encourages, teaches, convicts, and strengthens us through His Word, people, Holy Spirit, and anything else He chooses.

Today, I read editor Ken Brosky’s article, The Biggest Mistake Even Expert Writers Make, which strengthened me. In it, he writes: 

It’s important to think about antagonism not simply as an arch-villain (like Thanos from the Marvel movies). Rather, think about antagonism as any force that pushes back against your hero. Anything that gets in your hero’s way—whether it’s external or internal—is an antagonist. Audiences don’t want their hero to spend six chapters relaxing. Audiences want their hero tested, prodded, hurt, damaged, frightened, confused, and—above all—struggling. It’s a little sadistic, I know! But the fundamental truth of storytelling is that the forces of antagonism define your hero.

I see some clear parallels with our experience as believers here. My brother-in-law, Pastor Rich, once entitled a sermon, There’s Always Something. Isn’t that the truth!? There is always something to test our faith, stir the nest, and keep us uncomfortable, concerned, or annoyed.

Two blogs ago, I lamented missing my late husband, but Psalm 30:5 encouraged me: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” My last blog described the enemy stepping in to take advantage of my desire for companionship on these long, dark, and cold winter evenings by myself. He offered me everything my heart desired, even using my love language: Words of Affirmation. But unfortunately, I fell like a rock into a pond of alluring deception.

In the recent aftermath and fallout of such an addictive fantasy, I still felt tested, prodded, hurt, damaged, frightened, confused, and—above all—struggling. Then today, I read, “The fundamental truth of storytelling is that the forces of antagonism define your hero.”

Revelation 2-3 describes heroes of faith and their promised rewards when Jesus says to one church after another, “To those who overcome, I will give….” Hebrews 11 lists heroes of faith throughout the Old Testament. 

Then chapter 12 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Heb 12:1-3).

James tells us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything… Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (Jas 1:2-4, 12).

When tested, the Israelites craved the pleasures of Egypt and wanted to return. The book of Numbers records, “Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: ‘Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!” (Num 11:4-6).

Our human needs and desires seek to master us and overcome our common sense and love for God. 2 Peter 2:19 tells us, “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” However, we are bondservants of the Most High God who purchased us with the highest price in the universe. We are not our own, “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1Co 6:20). “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” (Rom 14:7-8).

In all of this, Paul tells us, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:37-39).

So, the forces of evil define whether we are silver or not. How do we want to be defined? The writer of Hebrews says, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, ‘In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.’ And, ‘But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.’ But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved” (Heb 10:36-39).

An interesting verse popped up in my research: “Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart” (Pro 26:23). A false prophet or a slick-talking scammer can appear as silver on the outside but remain evil on the inside. 

An Arctic Barnabas missionary once prayed with my husband and me, “Lord, don’t let them despise the process.” So I fervently pray as we each yield to our Father’s refining process, it will burn away all the rubbish in our lives. A silver refiner was asked how he knew the silver was pure. He answered, “When I see my reflection.”

Oh, LORD, may the antagonist’s relentless attacks only purify us to reflect Your amazing love, grace, and beauty to a dark and dying world.

THIS PAINTING reveals the sun’s rise over rock-strewn mountains. My friend Sherrilyn interprets this painting as, “There are numerous obstacles that would prevent a traveler from reaching the desired destination at the top of the mountain. Light represents to me God’s presence.”

We can grumble and despair over the obstacles and trials blocking our way to the sun. However, the fact that the sun is indeed rising gives us hope that if we wait patiently, the sun will come to us. Not one more step on our part will hasten the sun’s rise, for it comes to us far more quickly than we can climb to it. The sunrise illustrates our hope of redemption in this rock-strewn world.

“We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2Pet 1:19).

It is well for us to keep up our faith, hope, and expectation of it unmoved. The prophetic word of Christ that rises in our hearts of His promise to come to us is completely reliable. “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5).

The antagonist, the enemy, always schemes to intimidate and overcome us with “There’s Always Something.” However, the prophesied Son of God promises to come to us spiritually and literally with His living and powerful truth just as the sun rises over rock-strewn mountains. So we take heart that our Redeemer lives and is coming again!