Boldness or Ease?

I read Acts 4:23-31 this morning. Peter and John have just been released from prison for preaching about Jesus. The Religious Leaders did not know how to punish them without creating a riot, so they released Peter and John after ordering them not to preach about Jesus again.

Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what happened to them. All the believers began to pray. Their prayer is very different from the one I imagine I would pray. I think my prayer would go something like..."Lord, protect us from these threats and make them stop." I would ask for protection and peace. However, the disciples ask for boldness in face of the threats and difficulties.

Why is that? Why do I want comfort, protection, and peace and the early believers ask for boldness in the difficulties?

I read a quote yesterday that really got my attention. It said people are missing Jesus' true message and turning Christianity into something it was never intended to be. "Christianity is not a means to fulfill our selfish desires, but it is the means to end our selfish desires."

There are times I want Jesus to fulfill what I want and how I want it, but I am reminded that Christianity is about dying to myself and my desires and living for Him and His desires/will.

The prayer that the early church prayed for boldness is a picture of this. It would have been easy to pray for security, comfort, peace, etc., but they didn't pray for those things that the flesh (our nature) craves. Instead, they prayed for the boldness to do what God wanted. He wants them to be His witnesses in every situation- not just the easy ones.

I think they also understand the role of suffering much better than I do. Jesus told them that they would suffer. They just witnessed how much suffering He endured. They had a better understanding than I do. I haven't seen much suffering, but I think I would probably experience more if I really rejected the way the world works. The world has a tendency to disapprove and disown you when you don't do as they do.

I also notice that the room shook and they were all filled with boldness to preach. Many people ask me (and I even ask myself) why don't I experience such tangible answers to prayer. How come God doesn't still shake rooms?

I believe He does, but I don't believes He always continues to "shake rooms" or give such dramatic answers (not that He doesn't answer). In my own life, I experienced what I would say are "shaken room" answers- not that my room was shaken, but that the answer was undeniable. I think when I was younger in my faith, I needed bigger demonstrations from God to help me trust. However, the more mature I became the less I needed "shaken rooms" to trust God...I'm not saying I wouldn't like more "shaken room" experiences. I just don't need them to trust God. I think it is the way God helps us to develop and grow in our faith. In the beginning, He needs to reassure us more, but as we grow and experience His faithfulness all we need is His Word and not the experiences. That is when faith is fully developed...when we don't have to give God "fleeces" and tests, but we can respond in trust because we know this is His will no matter how I feel or what kind of sign I would like to have.

Jesus, I ask for boldness to live for you today. I don't need you to shake the room- I just need you to be present.