“My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls.” (Psalm 22:12a NLT)

In life, we often feel as if we’re under attack.

Tradition says that the running of the bulls began in northeastern Spain during the fourteenth century. Why people would want to run down a crowded street with angry bulls chasing them is beyond me. The thought of being trampled or gored isn’t appealing. Even though goring happens, people still do it. I’ve also watched wolves, wild dogs, and coyotes attack their prey. With teeth bared and mouths salivating, they circle, blindside, and eventually pounce on their victims.

Whether he was or not, the psalmist felt surrounded by enemies. His words were prophetic of how Jesus would later feel when His enemies eventually called for His death. In many countries, even our own, Christians are under attack. The attack may involve jail time, beatings, or even death. Or it may be more subtle: assemblies for prayer being forbidden in schools, displays of the ten commandments being removed from public places, media ridiculing those who take a stand based on faith, or the promotion of immoral ways as a norm for living.

When under attack for our faith, we often overreact. We can spew hateful words against those who attack us or promote ungodly lifestyles. We can act as if we are better than they, and walk around with our religious noses in the air. Or we can withdraw like hermits and refuse to associate with anyone but our kind. There are, though, better responses.

Praying for strength to endure is crucial. God never promises to take persecution away. In fact, He tells believers that they will be persecuted. After all, Jesus was. He will, however, give strength to endure. Searching for God’s will in how to react to the attacks is also essential. However we choose to respond, it should be with love.

We can have confidence when we’re under attack. We’ve read the end of the Book. Good wins over evil. Believers triumph. Knowing that is not an excuse for a haughty attitude, but knowing it does help us respond to faith attacks with a different outlook.

Being attacked for our faith also gives us a reason to praise God. Such attacks on the exercise of faith are a witness for Him. If others are not attacking us in some manner, perhaps we’re not as verbal about our faith as we should be.

How do you respond when under attack for your faith?

Prayer: Father, give us the strength to stand when we come under attack for our faith. Amen.

Copyright © 2023, by Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@gmail.com>, first published on the PresbyCan Daily Devotional presbycan.ca  
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA

Used with the permission of PresbyCan and author.