1. 1 in 7 Global Christians Faced Persecution in 2021: Aaron Earls shares the sobering Open Doors Report, “In the past year, 360 million Christians, or 1 in 7 believers around the world, suffered significant persecution for their faith. Every day in 2021, an average of more than 16 believers were killed for following Jesus. With close to 6,000 total martyrs, 2021 saw a 24% increase in Christians killed for the faith.”

2. Escapism and the False Narrative of Shame: Brady Goodwin explains, “Whatever its expression, escapism reflects a response flowing from within us. Deep in our hearts, we seek to escape from what we find unbearable. For some of us, such choices come in response to the everyday challenges of life. For others, it is the very perception of ourselves that we flee.”

3. Whose Purpose in Your Suffering Will Prevail? Randy Alcorn explains that every time we come to the crossroads of suffering we meet the choice between God and Satan’s purposes, “The very thing Satan intended for Job’s destruction, God intended for his betterment and ultimate reward (though certainly at a terrible cost).”

4. Why Most People Avoid Conflict and Why You Shouldn’t: Todd Linaman says, “By avoiding conflict, you miss opportunities for growth. Growth always involves change, and even positive changes often involve some level of tension and discomfort. To choose to avoid conflict is to choose personal stagnation – the opposite of growth.”

5. Did Jesus Die for the Sins of Every Person? Helpful video that considers this challenging question.

Photo by Karl Raymund Catabas on Unsplash