Reading Acts 14 is like watching someone bungee jump. They're up, they're down, there's a rush of excitement then a fear of death, and it all ends with them finally being pulled back up to safety. For some reason, my mind has been completely focused the ups and downs of chapter 14.
Verses 1-18 depict a complicated love-hate relationship between Team P&B (Paul, Barnabas) and the Jews and Gentiles to whom they ministered. Verse 19 shows that Paul is finally captured by those who hate his message and they eventually stone him to the point where everyone thinks he is clearly dead. I can't image what shape he must have been in...They drag Paul's beaten corpse out of the town but somehow, through the Grace of God, the very next day he is up and about walking to another town with Barnabas. When they get to the next town it says in verse 22 that "They encouraged them to continue in faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God." I don't think anyone has ever been more fit to preach that message than Paul and Barnabas at that point in their lives.
I know a major theme in my life has become learning how to find joy despite my circumstances and somehow being able to rejoice when suffering comes my way for that is when we grow closest to God. I'd like to think I've suffered too, but in comparison to what Paul and Barnabas had to endure I've been through nothing! However, it's all about perspective and personal situations, not comparison. I'll talk more about that in a moment.
The next verse that really lingered in my mind is verse 28. Paul and Barnabas have returned back home to where their journey started and they are sharing the good news about how the Gentiles are becoming more open to the message of Christ. It says, "And they stayed there with the believers for a long time." The reason why this verse stands out to me despite being an otherwise inconsequential verse to most people is because of my personal situation. In my ministry I am surrounded by non-believers with radically different morals, opinions and lifestyles than me. It's absolutely draining to constantly be around them and pour out my differing views based on a God they know nothing about. Some scoff while others listen. Either way it takes a toll on the human soul, and while I'm not being physically beaten or placed in prison, it is still all my untested heart can take. That's why it's not about comparing experiences but relating them.
Paul traveled around immersed in controversy, evangelizing every where he went. But eventually he had to stop for a while and be re-energized by a community of believers. That's why verse 28 stands out to me so much. I may not be able to run the race as far as Paul did but we both run as far as we can before we have to stop for a while and let God soothe our aching muscles and pour some spiritual Gatorade down our throats. Some of us will never run hard enough in life to need a break, which is a shame, but all Christians who do the Lord's work will hit that point where there is no shame in resting for a bit. In fact, it's of paramount importance that we do find rest among other believers in order to avoid burning out for good.
I believe taking advantage of these necessary breaks is the key to having the most productive ministry possible. If you read just a few verses after 14:28 you'll see that Paul and Barnabas get right back to fighting the legalistic Jews who oppressed the Gentiles with religious regulations. Acts 15:2 says, "Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently." Where did they get the energy to continually argue for what they believed in vehemently?
That's right. They took good, long breaks.
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