Do You Quit in the Face of Difficulty?
Pastor Roman Abramov and his wife worked diligently for three years to plant a church in Ismailly, Azerbaijan. But within a year of moving to the village, officials arrested them in an attempt to force them out of town.
The church is down to ten members most weeks, but they continue to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Due to pressure from local officials on potential landlords, the Abramovs had trouble renting a house, so they managed to build one in which they could both live and hold meetings according to the law.
When the Abramovs began to hold church meetings in their new home, the regular attendance climbed slowly. Then last December, mullahs (Muslim religious leaders) came to their house and told them that they had no right to hold Christian services.
Pastor Abramov defended his church and invited the mullahs to the services. One accepted the invitation and has since returned. Another mullah accused the Christians of stomping on a copy of the Koran, however, and petitioned the regional government to close the church. Local authorities then started visiting the homes of church members, harassing and questioning them and sentencing some to ten days in prison.
Despite the condemnation and the fear of many parishioners, Pastor Roman prayerfully believes that revival will come. His home remains open to all who would come and attend their meetings.
Some things we wish we could do without. Trials are one of them. Why does life often seem to be one problem after another? Yet the Bible teaches us that life is not supposed to be trouble-free. As children, we would often give up if a task became too hard. We quit in the face of difficulty. As we matured, however, we learned to persevere—to hang in there and see it through. In the same way, as we mature in our faith, we learn the value of perseverance. Are you still immature, becoming easily discouraged and tempted to give up? Tell God you’re ready to “grow up.”
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