How do Persecuted Believers Show the Strength, Resilience and Faith that They Do in the Midst of Their Suffering?
Evin Prison in Iran It is a question that is often times a riddle to Westerners. How do persecuted believers do it? What is it within them that enables them to withstand the extremes of persecution? In Nigeria, a pastor's son was hacked to death by machete-wielding Boko Haram terrorists. His response to the tragedy was that he still loved his son's attackers. Iranian American pastor Saeed Abedini has been held in Iran's notorious Evin prison for over a year. Reportedly, he came out of solitary confinement, meant to break a prisoner, actually elated and encouraged from the experience. What happened in that confinement? More on that in a minute. image from International Christian Concern's website Stories abound of Christian ministers and laypeople being imprisoned, beating, etc., and seeing the situation as a God-given opportunity to minister to prison guards and fellow prisoners. What make...