Faithful Through the Opposition
A casual glimpse at the life of John Wesley may lead us to believe that life for him was without opposition. He knew where God was calling him to go, who God was calling him to be, and the rest was simple. In retrospect, we may think that he chose a difficult way of discipleship, but that once the decision was made, and in spite of personal hardship, there was little internal or external opposition.
A deeper gaze at his life and ministry as revealed through his writing and the testimony of those who wrote about him suggests that he faced real opposition from the beginning until the end. Life was not simple or easy. The struggle for faithful discipleship resulted in opposition within his own life and opposition from those who could not agree with the way he had chosen.
The search for authentic discipleship led him to go far beyond the common understanding or practice of the Christian faith, and this going beyond the commonly accepted way often led to opposition.
—Reuben P. Job,
A Wesleyan Spiritual Reader
John Wesley’s life reminds us that authentic discipleship rarely travels an easy road. While it may seem from a distance that he had unwavering clarity and purpose, a closer look reveals deep internal struggles and persistent external resistance. For those battling mental illness or substance use, this is good news: your struggles do not disqualify you—they qualify you to walk the rugged path of real faith. Wesley didn’t find opposition because he was doing something wrong, but because he was courageously pressing deeper into what it means to follow Jesus. Don’t be discouraged if your journey feels hard or lonely. You’re not off track—you may be right where faith begins to deepen. Keep walking. God meets us not in ease, but in perseverance. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics