One of the most puzzling spiritual dilemmas is discerning the difference between a barrier and a blockade.
Sometimes, God allows difficulties to test our faith. He wants to build endurance in us and show his power through us. It’s painful, but God shapes our character through these challenges. Let’s label these circumstances “barriers” to be broken down, climbed over, or otherwise surmounted. We are better Christians when we triumph through these struggles.
Other times, God allows similar difficulties — not to test us, but to stop us in our tracks. Let’s call these circumstances “barricades.” These are huge stop signs God erects to get us to freeze, reconsider our options, and go a different direction. Continuing to pound your head into an immovable, God-sized obstruction is painful and futile.
Discerning the difference between barriers and barricades is challenging. It’s not easy to figure out what to do when you first run into resistance. Most Christians aren’t quitters. We expect to swim upstream and paddle harder when the current intensifies. But is that always the best response? Initially, probably so! But when increased flow is a precursor to a coming tsunami of God-generated opposition, it’s best to get out of that stream altogether. Read more
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