Double Coverage - New Levels, New Devils
I have noticed something that seems consistent in most areas of life. The harder something becomes, the more we question whether it is worth it. When the difficulty levels increase or more people start to oppose us sometimes we can take it as “a sign” that we are on the wrong track. That can be true but sometimes it can mean quite the opposite. I have also found that when doing something significant, rarely does it come without challenges. Paul expresses it this way:
"...because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me."
Resistance is not Rejection
There was a phrase around when I first became a Christian, it was “new levels, new devils”. The idea behind it was that the more effective my Christian walk was, the more resistance I would face from the enemy. Mountain climbers can attest to the fact that the challenge increases as you get higher. The atmosphere and conditions start to change. The air becomes thinner and it becomes more challenging to breathe. If the climber was to interpret this resistance as a sign to quit they would never reach the summit. In fact, the longer they spend at altitude the more they acclimatize to their new heights.
When we face resistance, we must not interpret it as a sign to give up. Sometimes we need to see that the opposition is just part of the journey. In fact, the better we get the more we should expect it. Particularly in sports the highest performers find themselves getting extra attention. They might experience double or triple coverage because of their threat level. The opposition understands that the ball in their hand increases their chance of losing.
