Return and Encouragement- Pt. 2: Enter the Kingdom Through Many Trails

Baptist Daily Devotional
Aug 10
2 min read

Rev Tetteh-Annor Larbi | August 10 2025 | Acts 14:21-28

KEY VERSE: “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God, they said. ” Acts 14:22b (NIV)

MESSAGE:

After completing a fruitful missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas returned to cities where they had faced strong opposition—even violence—to encourage the new believers. Their message wasn’t sugar-coated: “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” This was not a warning meant to cause fear, but a reminder to build faith. Trials are not signs that God has abandoned us—they are part of the path to glory. The kingdom of God is not won through ease, but through perseverance in the face of adversity.

This truth is both sobering and strengthening. When we face hardship—be it rejection, suffering, or setbacks—it can feel like we’re off course. But Scripture assures us that trials refine our faith and draw us closer to Christ. Paul, who had just been stoned and left for dead, didn’t hide the cost of discipleship. He lived it. And he used his pain as a platform to strengthen others, teaching that the road to the kingdom is paved with both difficulty and grace.

The encouragement here is not to avoid trials but to endure them with the hope of what lies ahead. God uses every hardship to prepare us for His eternal kingdom. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:

When the journey becomes tough, don’t lose heart. You're not being punished—you’re being prepared. Stand firm. Keep walking. The kingdom is worth every step.

PRAYER:

Lord, help me to endure the trials I face with faith and courage. Remind me that every hardship is shaping me for Your kingdom. Strengthen me to stay true, no matter the cost. For Your dear name’s sake. Amen.

THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.

SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 222: 1 Chronicles 5–9 — Tribes, Levites, and Exiles

DAILY word study: HARDSHIPS The word hardships comes from the Greek thlipsis, meaning “pressure” or “trouble.” It refers to being pressed in by difficult circumstances. In Acts 14:22, Paul and Barnabas remind believers that entering the Kingdom is not a path of ease but one of endurance. Hardships are part of the refining process—they reveal the genuineness of our faith and grow our perseverance. This isn’t a call to seek suffering but to stand firm when it comes.

Reflect on This:

When the pressure is on, God is shaping you to last for eternity.