“They spread a net for my feet – I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path – but they have fallen into it themselves.” Psalm 57:6
There are some people, it seems, who see their prime purpose in life is to give Christians a hard time. Some are famous, writing books, lecturing in universities and engaging in debates. Others are just people who we come across in everyday life, who may have been burned by a bad church experience or persuaded from a young age that religion is for losers. Whatever the case, we should not lose heart. Nor should we retaliate against them, because that will only add more fuel to their fire. The Bible tells us not to seek revenge on other people, but to leave that up to God (Rom. 12:19). He sees what is happening to us and will orchestrate things so that it comes back on them. This is exactly what happened in the Bible.
For example, Daniel was minding his own business, praying to God three times a day, and his enemies knew that the only way they could get rid of his was to pass a law forbidding his worship of God. As we know, Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den, but he was not harmed. The next day, when the king discovered he was still alive, he ordered Daniel to be taken out and his accusers thrown in instead (Dan. 6). Another example is Haman: he was so jealous of Mordecai that he built a gallows and went to seek the king’s permission to have him hanged (Est. 5:14). But his plan backfired, and ultimately he was hanged on the same gallows (Est. 7:9-10).
So when you are being persecuted by vocal opponents, trying to catch you out, keep your cool; don’t take their bait. Instead, pray about it. Tell God exactly what’s happening and how you’re feeling, and ask Him to give you the strength and patience to endure. Trust Him, and He will take care of things, one way or another.
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