The Song of Persecution

This article will showcase how a self-defeating mindset towards persecution impacts Christians. This will be vividly shown through a song. What is a self-defeating mindset? A self-defeating mindset are negative and self-critical beliefs that hinder personal growth, success and mental health. To suffer for your faith or fall into sin or mistake, its impact will be great with a self-defeating mindset. The implication of this includes feeling that God isn't present or near, no one loves you, God has left you behind and mourning for better days or 'glory days' (this is according to my experience, this cannot be said for all).

The following symptoms are shown clearly through the song, Better Days by Pete Murray. This song is uniquely exceptional for accurately portraying the Christian's hardship and misery. Without further ado, I pray that this analysis will be of edification to your soul and spirit. May God richly bless the sorrowful brothers and sisters in their trials and tribulations. The song begins with the following lyric:

I saw it coming,

The first lyric of "I saw it coming" alludes to what most Christians know they'll face on their journey: persecution. If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you (John 15:18). Jesus promised eternal life to those who believe in Him (John 10:28), but didn't promise that life would get any easier. The Holy-spirited Christian would rejoice and feel privileged that they suffer persecution for their LORD (Acts 5:41). St Peter and St John saw the hand of God against the forces of darkness in their situation. They were punished for doing good but rejoiced for their punishment. They had support from the God of Israel, in opposition to the Pharisees and religious Jews.

In a parallel situation, a Christian with a self-defeating mindset would see it coming: they face persecution in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ. These types of Christians who initially had self-defeating mindsets are called 'thorny Christians'. Their faith is choked by the cares of this world (Matthew 13:22). How could one suffer persecution from close friends? Why am I not as rich as others? Why is my faith diminishing? A resolution for this problem is found in 1 Corinthians 10:13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

The LORD has initially promised that no temptation will be enough to destroy the Christian. It could make the believer feel weakened, tired and exhausted. Yet God uses each temptation to build you up as a believer. Every trial and tribulation that the weary Christian will see coming, they have a hope beyond the struggle. The Christian's end to life will always be a happy ending.