Next in Line

“No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” - Isaiah 54:17 
 
When Paul got stoned, it wasn’t just to punish him for having the audacity to keep preaching and the courage to live his life for Jesus; it was also to inflict fear in those thinking about putting their trust in the God that Paul preached about.

And so, every stone that hit Paul’s body bruised the minds of the people and caused them to question whether living for Christ was worth it.
 
And in my sanctified imagination, I can hear some of them saying to themselves, “Naw, it’s not worth it. I can’t do this. There is no way I can make it through this.”  

In a real sense, that is where someone is right now. You’ve seen some stuff around you, and you’ve witnessed things that have caused you to conclude, “I can’t do it.” Your struggle isn’t so much about something that happened to you directly, but about something you observed, and it is causing you to question whether you can make it, whether continuing is worth it, and whether it is time for you to throw in the towel.
 
You witnessed so much abuse in your family, your mother was abused, your siblings were abused. You saw many people in your family struggling with addictions like drugs, alcohol, and gambling, and pornography.  

You saw your parents' divorce and you’re fearful that the disagreements you’re having in your relationship will end the same way. And you are saying to yourself, “If that is what the outcome of my life is going to be, it’s not worth it.”
 
Someone reading this right now is dealing with vicarious trauma, and because of what you’ve seen, you are at the point of throwing in the towel. But I want you to see that when Paul finished preaching in Derbe in Acts 14:21, he realized that while he made it out of Lystra, there were others who did not.

Paul came back to show them that the weapons formed against him would not stand. And the same is true for you. What you’ve seen or witnessed is not your story. God wants to tell you that you are “next in line.” He has a plan and purpose for your life! Don’t throw in the towel.