Today I read this passage of scripture that really spoke to me:

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Psalm 34:19 (ESV)

This reminded me that being a follower of Jesus will inevitably lead into times of affliction. I can see this all through history as some of the greatest followers of The Way (Jesus) were persecuted without mercy; and I can see this in my life as I follow after Jesus and willingly make sacrifices to walk in His way. But, though you and I will come into many hardships, we can know that the Lord will also bring us out of Him. For me this is both terrifying and comforting.

Know this for your walk. Following Jesus is difficult, don’t be fooled by those that teach otherwise. But, following Jesus, walking in the light, is the only way to really live, and in that truth alone lies our deliverance from affliction.

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5)