Last week, the family that I’m staying with were thrown into a really difficult time as their middle daughter (who is 9 years old) was suddenly taken to hospital with a collapsed lung.  It really shook me.  This family is on the front line of serving persecuted Christians across the world. They are red hot.  So why? Why would God let their little one get ill? Surely He protects his workers.  Surely He looks out for their children?

Last weekend in Bristol, I met, for the first time, some women who have really suffered because they love Jesus.  I sat at the back of the hall, listening to a Pakistani lady and a Nigerian lady (in full-on turquoise African dress!) tell their stories.  ‘I was made to choose between my Mother, who I love so much… and Jesus’- said the inspirational lady from Pakistan. ‘They keep burning down our Church – but you know what – we’re just going to build a bigger one!’ said the feisty lady from Nigeria.

I found myself getting all riled up inside.  You know when you can feel yourself getting hot, and you just want to shout, or cry, or something!  Through teary eyes, I put my hand up and asked these ladies to help me to understand why it is that God lets painful things happen to those in this world who are the most faithful to him.  It’s illogical. They brought me to the front of the room (by then making embarrassing sobbing noises). 

One of the ladies looked straight into my teary eyes and said ‘Lucy, when they persecute us they are not doing it to us.  Not really. When they persecute us they are doing it to Jesus who is inside us.’  Jesus said: ‘If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you’ (John 15:20).These amazing women prayed over me that my anger will turn into action and more prayer. 

It upset me that I had been angry at God, because I know that He is good.  I didn’t want to doubt that.  But sometimes you’ve got to be honest and say – it really sucks.

Lucy – @ Release Potential on work experience