A Matter of Perspective – Greg Laurie Devotion – May 14, 2026

Biblical Context

The book of Acts gives us a lively account of the early church. It was written by Luke, the same person who wrote the Gospel of Luke. Luke was a doctor and a close friend of the Apostle Paul, often traveling with him. He wrote Acts to Theophilus, picking up where his Gospel left off, showing how the Holy Spirit moved through the apostles and early believers after Jesus went back to Heaven. This book covers about 30 years, from Jesus’ ascension to Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, around AD 60-62. It shows us how the gospel spread from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and all the way to the ends of the earth.

The specific passage in Acts 14:21-22 happens during Paul’s first missionary journey. Paul and Barnabas had been preaching the gospel, making disciples, and then circling back to cities they’d already visited. They did this to check in on the new believers, to make them stronger in their faith, and to remind them of important truths. This wasn’t just about getting people saved; it was about helping them stick with Jesus through everything. In this part, they’re returning to places like Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, which weren’t always easy places for them. In Lystra, Paul had even been stoned and left for dead. Yet, they went back, showing us how committed they were to these new followers and to God’s work.

Key Word Study

Let’s look at a key word from Acts 14:22: “hardships.” The Greek word used here is *thlipsis* (θλίψις). This word isn’t just about a little bit of trouble. It carries a heavier meaning. It means pressure, oppression, affliction, or trouble that feels really heavy, almost like being squeezed. It can mean tribulation, anguish, or severe distress. When the Bible uses *thlipsis*, it often refers to trials that bring real pain, both physical and emotional. It’s not just a rough patch; it’s a time of intense difficulty that presses down on you.

When Paul and Barnabas told the disciples, “We must go through many *thlipsis* to enter the kingdom of God,” they weren’t sugarcoating things. They were being very real about what following Jesus often means. It’s a promise that the Christian life won’t be easy, but it’s also a statement that these tough times have a purpose. They aren’t random; they’re part of the path to God’s kingdom.

Heaven’s Perspective on Good and Bad

You know, it’s a real thought-changer to consider that when we get to Heaven, we’ll look back at our time here on earth from a completely different point of view. I truly believe that we’ll realize the things we thought were good weren’t nearly as good as we believed. And, just as powerfully, some of the things we thought were bad were, in fact, incredibly helpful for us.

For example, our world tells us that prosperity and success are the ultimate good things. And yes, for some people, they absolutely can be good, especially if they’re used to bring glory to God. But let’s be honest, for many others, financial well-being can turn into a huge distraction. It can cause people to completely lose sight of God. Material things can really weigh us down, spiritually speaking, when what God really wants is for us to travel light. He wants us focused on Him, not on what we own.

The Hidden Good in Tough Times

On the flip side, we tend to think of sickness, loss, or failure as always bad things. And they can be bad. Very bad. We’re not denying the pain these things cause. But here’s the thing: they also can be good. They can be good because these are the very things that cause us to cling to God and to lean on Him in a way we never would if things were easy. When life is smooth, we might trust in our own strength or resources. But when everything falls apart, you’re forced to look up. So, from Heaven’s perspective, a so-called bad thing can actually turn out to be a really good thing for our spiritual journey.

Jesus and Lazarus: A Lesson in Divine Delay

Think about what happened when Jesus’ friend Lazarus got sick. You’d expect Jesus to rush right over, wouldn’t you? But He didn’t. He delayed going to Bethany. John 11:5–7 says, Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go back to Judea’ (niv).

Instead of running to help Martha, Mary, and Lazarus right away, as they certainly hoped He would, Jesus waited two more days. Why? He wanted Lazarus’ sickness to run its course. He didn’t simply want to heal His friend from a mild illness. He wanted to bring a much greater glory to His name. Sickness and death, in this instance, were the means to bring about that greater glory. This story shows us something really important: the Lord doesn’t look at trials and suffering the same way we do. He sees a bigger picture, a divine purpose, even in the darkest moments. The question for us is, whose perspective will we trust? Will it be ours, which is limited, or His, which sees everything?

God’s Ways Are Higher

Here’s a hint for whose perspective we should trust: ‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts’ (Isaiah 55:8–9 nlt). This powerful scripture reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways. His plans are much bigger, much wiser, and stretch far beyond our understanding. We can’t always grasp why things happen the way they do, but we can trust that His thinking is on a whole different level.

The Ultimate Reward

I believe that God will eventually reveal the ‘whys’ of our suffering in time. He will help us see the whole picture, how our trials ultimately led to a greater good, even when we couldn’t see it at the moment. But until that day, until we get to see it all clearly from Heaven’s view, we really need to remember these vital words from Acts 14:21–22:

They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said (niv).

This isn’t just an old Bible verse; it’s a living truth for us today. It tells us clearly that the path to God’s kingdom isn’t always smooth. There will be tough times, pressure, and afflictions. But the promise is this: no matter how many hardships we must endure, the result—eternity in the kingdom of God—is more than worth it. It’s an outcome that outweighs any earthly pain or struggle. To keep a godly perspective on the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ things that happen to you, remember that God is always working, even in the hard stuff, for your ultimate good and His greater glory. Trust His higher ways, even when you can’t see the full picture.