I recently read this article about blatant and pure Evil with no regard for the sanctity of life.

Over the holidays, a militant jihadist group ran an attack on Christians in Northeast Nigeria. In this attack, as many as 24 Christians were killed, over 20 were abducted, and a church was torched in two separate attacks ran by the militant group. Along with this, the jihadists also burned homes, shops, cars, and bulldozers, sending the Garkida villagers fleeing. Some of those who fled are still missing.

Christians have been persecuted for their faith since the beginning, and it’s in these seasons of extreme persecution that the faith traditionally grows the fastest. Consider for a moment what happens; you claim to believe in something with the entirety of your life, and when that is met with an adverse challenge, and you stand firm and steadfast in laying down your own life, think about how the aftermath plays out.

Those counterparts of your close community hear testimony or even witness your faithfulness, and people begin to live with skin in the game.

Think about other areas of your life where something you have is replaceable or possibly if there is zero threat of you being challenged in that area. How much weight does it carry in your life?

When there is something to lose as a result of your faith, the roots run way deeper than they would otherwise. As a Christian, there is a certain amount of pause when learning about events like this around the world, and at the same time, you know that it is in these seasons that your faith has a chance to grow!

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