Opportunity to Shine!
“What is right is not always popular, and what is popular is not always right.”
I remember hanging that poster on a youth room wall years ago. Looking back, I am reminded of how much our culture has changed since then. There was a day when right and popular were not too far apart. The culture I am pastoring in today is not the same church culture I started in 38 years ago. Yet many times we want it to be.
No matter your age, you have watched our world change. Some remember beginning the school day with prayer and Bible reading. Others remember when most children lived with their biological parents and church activities filled the family calendar. Younger generations can hardly imagine such a world. The direction society is changing—and the speed at which it is changing—means that the church must be ready for the challenges ahead.
The early church learned this lesson quickly.
In Acts 5, the apostles were arrested because they would not stop proclaiming Jesus. The religious leaders threatened them, commanded them to be silent, and eventually had them flogged. Yet their response is one of the most remarkable statements in Scripture: “We must obey God rather than men.”
What we must understand is this: God allows suffering and persecution as an opportunity to shine.
The apostles’ suffering was not the result of disobedience; it was the result of obedience. They faced opposition because they faithfully proclaimed the truth. Their trials became an opportunity to reveal God’s righteousness, holiness, and power.
Most of us do not like pain. We avoid conflict. We naturally choose the comfortable path. So when our faith is questioned, when our biblical values are challenged, or when someone asks why we believe Jesus is the only way to heaven, fear often rises within us. We fear losing friendships, opportunities, or influence. We fear not having the right answers.
Yet many times fear removes us from the very thing God is leading us into for His glory.
Jesus never promised a life of comfort. He said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Throughout the New Testament, believers are reminded that suffering is not something strange. It is often part of faithfully following Christ.
Because suffering is an opportunity to shine, our response should not be fear but boldness. The early church prayed for boldness when opposition came. They understood that truth matters. In a culture increasingly confused about truth, God still calls His people to know His Word and stand upon it.
Because suffering is an opportunity to shine, our response should not be despair but joy. After being flogged, the apostles left rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering for the name of Jesus. Their circumstances had not changed, but their perspective had.
And because suffering is an opportunity to shine, our response should not be avoidance but preparation. We must know the truth. God has revealed Himself through His Word, and we are called to know it, believe it, and share it.
You may face opposition. You may lose opportunities. You may be misunderstood. But just like the church in Acts, we are still fighting the battle for truth.
And when God gives you the opportunity, shine.