Day 4: Scars, Dust, and Getting Back Up — Enduring Persecution for the Gospel
Counting the Cost and Pressing On
Scripture: Acts 14:19-22 (NASB95)
But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe. After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
Cowboy Wisdom
Every old cowboy has scars—rope burns on his palms, a crooked finger that never healed right, maybe a limp from a bronc that got the better of him one cold morning. Those scars aren’t something to be ashamed of; they’re proof that he showed up for the work. Paul had scars, too. Men traveled nearly ninety miles just to make his life miserable, and they succeeded—they stoned him and dragged his broken body outside the city walls, leaving him for dead in the dirt. But the story didn’t end there. Paul got up. He walked back into the same town where they’d tried to kill him, and the very next day he hit the trail again to preach in Derbe.
There’s a dangerous lie floating around the church today that says if you follow Jesus, your life will be smooth sailing—healthy, wealthy, and problem-free. Paul didn’t preach that sermon, and neither should we. He told those young believers the plain truth: “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” That’s not a maybe—that’s a must. Following Christ costs something. Out on the trail, a man who expects nothing but sunshine is the first one to turn back when the storm hits. But the man who knows the storm is coming and rides into it anyway—that’s the man who reaches the destination.
What gets a cowboy back on his feet isn’t the absence of pain; it’s the presence of purpose. Paul had a mission that was bigger than his bruises. The believers gathered around him—they didn’t scatter—and that community of faith helped him stand again. If you’re hurting today, if life or the enemy has knocked you flat, remember this: getting stoned didn’t stop Paul, and whatever you’re going through doesn’t have to stop you either. Let the body of Christ surround you, let God lift you up, and get back on the trail. The Kingdom is worth every scar.
Questions for Reflection
Paul was stoned and left for dead, yet he got up and kept going. What trial or hardship in your life right now is tempting you to give up on God’s calling?
Paul told believers that tribulation is part of the journey, not a sign that something has gone wrong. How does this truth change the way you view your current struggles?
The disciples “stood around” Paul when he was down. Who in your life stands with you during hard times, and who are you standing with? Are you part of a community that lifts each other up?
Prayer Focus
Lord Jesus, I know that following You was never promised to be easy. Give me the courage of Paul—the kind that gets back up after being knocked down, the kind that walks back into the hard places instead of running away. Surround me with faithful brothers and sisters who will stand with me, and help me to be that person for others. I count the cost today and choose to follow You, no matter what. Through many tribulations, lead me home. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
