The New Living Translation states Paul’s words this way: ‘There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.’ In doing the will of God, you should anticipate opposition from those who are not privy to what God has shared with you or instructed you to do. Indeed, if you are accepted and applauded wherever you go, you should re-examine either the assignment you believe God has given you or the way in which you are carrying it out. You say, ‘But didn’t Jesus say that His yoke was “easy”?’ Yes, and He was talking about a comfortable-fitting yoke around the neck of a hardworking ox that ploughed from morning until night. The work was hard, but the yoke was comfortable. That means when God calls you to do something difficult, He will provide you with the grace and resources to do it. You say, ‘But Satan is attacking me.’ Attack is a sign of respect; it means you represent a threat to the kingdom of darkness. And as you get closer to your God-given goal, expect Satan’s attack to intensify. But there is good news. The intensity of the attack is an indicator of the blessing God has for you on the other side of the attack. And one more thought. Your greatest rewards will not come in this life but in the life to come. And that’s good because they won’t just be temporal, they will be eternal. The hymnist wrote: ‘To him that overcometh a crown of life shall be; He with the King of glory shall reign eternally.’

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.