By Angie Hamp

Going through a small group Bible study, we came to the topic of hardship. I was so challenged by this concept. The basic premise is that following God requires sacrifice and has a cost. The cost of following Christ and His plan is not free! I walked away from my study feeling conflicted, challenged, discouraged and with a new perspective.

There have been so many times when I’ve been mad at God because of difficulty in my life and have blamed it on following Him. I’ve said many things along the lines of, “Come on God! We’ve answered your call to plant a church, help us out!” or “Why is life so hard when we’ve said ‘yes’ to your call?”

My study dug into the book of Acts where Paul and Barnabas faced much persecution and yet during this persecution many came to know Christ. Why does persecution and the furthering of the Kingdom seem to go hand in hand?

I have no clear answer today regarding this question except that maybe we’re so broken, so humbled and so out of the way that Jesus’ strength can truly be made perfect in our weakness.

In Acts 13:51-52, Paul and Barnabas were persecuted and thrown out of the city and yet their response to this hardship was to shake the dust off their feet. Acts 13:52 says, “they were filled with the joy and the Holy Spirit.” Then, they went on and continued to preach and God did many signs and wonders.

This is certainly not my response when I face hardship. Instead, I whine, wallow and feel sorry for myself. I question why we answered God’s call to plant and remind Him about what it has cost us. Most often I do not look at hardship as an opportunity to see how God wants to further His kingdom. Instead I threaten to quit, get mad or depressed, or isolate myself.

Today, I am challenged to see how God would choose to use my hardships to further His kingdom. I am also challenged to shake the dust off my feet and be filled with joy and His Spirit.

Have you faced a tough situation in planting and watched God use it to bring the lost to Him? Tell us about it here.

Angie Hamp and her husband Jon planted Discovery Church in Parker, Colorado, in 2009.