Facing opposition

“But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” 1 Corinthians 16:8-9
This is an interesting verse, and one that we can find comfort in today. Paul said that opportunities were presenting themselves for him to serve God, but at the same time there were many who opposed him.
Persecution is one thing that is promised to every person who is being effective for the Lord (2 Tim. 3:12). Now, we need to be careful to distinguish persecution (which is unprovoked, and comes from people who hate God and attack His servants) from consequences (which come through some sin or ungodly thing we have done). That is, if you go around being obnoxious to people, and they push you away, you are not being ‘persecuted’ in the Biblical sense of the word. We see what persecution is, in the book of Acts, where groups of rabblerousers would follow Paul from city to city, heckling him as he was preaching, and trying to stir up riots against him. He did not instigate it.
You can be sure that when you are being effective for God, you will face opposition. But God is greater than any persecution that might come our way. He will not let us be overcome. Keep serving Him.