Remember My Bearings In A Topsy-Turvy World
BRD REFLECTION 2026
Matthew 10:17-25 and Psalm 45:10-17 (NIV)
(Serena Hu from Discipleship and Nurture)
READ:
Matthew 10:17-25, with special attention to:
18On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 20For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
OBSERVE:
The passages tell me of a world where disciples of Christ are viewed with skepticism, distrust and hatred. Believers will be hauled before the courts, betrayed and persecuted. Witnesses of Christ face hostility even within their own families, where familial rules are, at times, inexplicably broken and households divided. Yet, in spite of all the persecution, we are called to persevere in our discipleship journey until “the Son of Man comes”.
The daunting truth is that trouble is inevitable and never-ending. This is the reality of life from the days of Jesus’s first disciples until today.
APPLY:
Reflecting on this, I am reminded that life will not be easy. Difficulties, obstacles and personal attacks are to be expected, but God is always with me, offering spiritual guidance and stillness of heart. In this topsy-turvy world, if I remember my bearings and lean on the Spirit of my Father, I will gain the final victory.
Living for God sometimes brings hardships and challenges, but these give me the opportunity to bear testimony for Christ and help bring others to salvation.
DO:
God understands all the difficulties I face but if I keep the faith and submit to Him, I will be guided by the Holy Spirit throughout my discipleship journey. I will expect the unexpected; even the unforeseen has its place.
I will remember:
A- God’s authority; God empowers me
B- to be bold and persevere
C- the cost of discipleship is the chance to witness for Christ
D- to depend on the Holy Spirit, and
E- the eternal reward awaits me as “the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
PRAY:
Thank You, God, for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who is with me all the time. I pray that I will always remember to seek the Holy Spirit when I face daily challenges and troubles, and to not lean on my own understanding. I pray that I will remember that hardships and hostilities can be turned into opportunities for sharing the good news so that others can be saved. Amen.
