How does one take religious persecution and continue to be faithful? How does one impact the culture they are living in without being infected by it?
One of the first steps in addressing this to be aware of the actuality vs the perception. Understanding the context and reality of your life, the context of the world, and the Truth. It is critical to thank God and understand the levels of hostility that is faced by us compared to the level and intensity that others face. This is not done to minimize the experience of anyone but to give light and encouragement. It is to normalize the experience and give strength to the individual being effected by hostility. Giving thanks can help to normalize the reality that aloneness may be a perception but not a full reality. Prayer and thankfulness can join together and limit isolation. Aloneness in the moment does not mean there is isolation everywhere. Isolation in the moment doesn’t take into account the global faithful ones.
It is important to understand what aloneness is. How it is perceptual and how it can be a reality. There is a criticalness to take advantage of the remarkable reality that a faithful individual will never be abandoned. While there may be abandonment by the worldly beings there is no abandonment by the Heavenly. Someone who is suffering or experiencing hostility is also not abandoned by the unseen group of believers who are also living in the world. Despite being removed from and not in direct relationship with unseen others there is connection to. To endure hostility it is important to be connected. Christ is the only man who was and will be the only one to even endure temptation and hostility alone and endure faithfully without blemish.
To endure hostility and be faithful requires the faithful to pray for the best and be ready for the worst that could occur. Israel prayed for the exodus and did not prepare themselves for the worst part of the journey during the 40 years of wondering through the desert in its journey to the promised land. Israel prayed for the best and didn’t fully prepare themselves for what could be. Daniel and his colleagues prayed for the best and were able to endure the furnace they were cast into as a result of their belief and faithfulness. They prayed for the best and knew the worst.
How one engages in endurance amongst hostility is effected by the preparation before and during the time of difficulty. No athlete, no professional, no relationship, no marriage, no believer will succeed without preparation and maintenance. Preparation for the journey and rest/recovery during the journey has to happen in order to ensure hostility and difficulties. It is important to know what hills to die on and what battles to engage in. In hostile environments it is critical to know where energies can to be placed and how much energies can be given to a specific situation while staying faithful.
It is a possibility to endure hostile situations and be faithful. It is a possibility to faithfully endure the hostility the faithful will face. It is possible to feel alone but also connected. Faithfully enduring is a requirement of faith and practice. To be faithful requires an individual to be placed in situations that will tempt and be difficult. True love and faith will endure forever.