Run the RaceSample

RESISTANCE

Do you know the feeling of riding your bike fast downhill or standing on a ferry with the wind blowing against your face? It pushes and shakes you. The reason is simple: you’re in motion. If you stood still, you would feel little to no resistance.

It’s the same in faith. When you walk with Jesus, you will experience headwinds. Paul writes that we are hard-pressed but not crushed, persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed — and not in spite of following Jesus, but because of it. Resistance isn’t a sign that God has left us; it’s a sign that we’re on the right path.

In our Western context, this rarely means facing danger to our lives like Paul did. But we still experience things that shake us — the wind against our face.

Standing still isn’t really an option. Why would we miss out on the good things Jesus wants to do in us, with us, and through us? If we rarely face resistance, we might need to ask ourselves whether we’re even moving. The enemy doesn’t attack what’s standing still — he targets those who are moving forward with Jesus.

Resistance can take many forms: temptation, doubt, frustration, exhaustion, criticism, or discouragement. It often comes precisely when we’ve decided to trust God anew or take a step of faith. But it’s also here where we see God’s strength carrying us — not our own.

The best stories are those in which, with God’s help, we have overcome resistance and seen something good grow out of it. Every miracle begins with a problem.

Resistance is part of following Jesus. He Himself was rejected, misunderstood, opposed. Paul knew what pressure and pain meant — and yet he kept going, because he had realized: Jesus becomes visible precisely when we’re under pressure but don’t give up.

So if you feel something holding you back or discouraging you — don’t stop. You don’t have to enjoy the pressure, but you can learn to interpret it correctly: not as a sign of God’s absence, but as a reminder that you’re on the right track. Of course, it’s important to have wise counselors to help you discern a “no” from God versus resistance from the enemy. But we don’t need to be afraid of resistance.

God is greater and stronger. Let yourself be encouraged today to stand firm and keep moving forward. His strength is revealed precisely when we have reached our limits and no longer have any strength.