We Shall Overcome

It occurs to me that the strength of Christians ought to be and is their resiliency. This goes back to the early centuries, when there were sporadic efforts by the Romans to eradicate a religion they thought was impious because it refused to condone civic duty which involved offering sacrifices to the emperor. Romans killed Christians, but they didn't go away. In fact, they grew stronger through adversity, at least if the church "father" Tertullian is correct: "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church."

I think the ability to persevere no matter how dark things look or will get is a trademark of Christians today. You pray one way, and things go the other. You ask for deliverance from accident, and you get into one. You ask for healing, and you stay sick. You pray for the Red Sox to win the world series, and they don't. You pray for ___ to be elected senator, and she isn't. Ought these things get us depressed? Naturally speaking, they could. But I'm thankful that God happens to be supernatural, bigger than circumstances and events that could tend to depress. We press on. Is God dead? I think not. Since He isn't, one must conclude that prayers are not unanswered, and circumstances are not out of His control. When our enemies would like to shout in triumph over us is the best time to show who we are and what we believe. Chins up, comrades, we know who wins.