Sermon Illustrations

Many people find doing God’s will hard. Rosa Parks found it hard when she was arrested on December 1, 1955 for refusing to give her bus seat to a white man. It is difficult to imagine such an arrest taking place today, just a little over 50 years later. But that is because her simple act of faithfulness changed the landscape of America. In her book Quiet Strength she writes: “When I sat down on the bus that day, I had no idea history was being made — I was only thinking of getting home. But I had made up my mind. After so many years of being a victim of the mistreatment my people suffered, not giving up my seat — and whatever I had to face afterwards — was not important. I did not feel any fear sitting there. I felt the Lord would give me the strength to endure whatever I had to face. It was time for someone to stand up — or in my case, sit down. So I refused to move.” Even when God’s will is for you to sit down, it can be very difficult. God is good to us, and his grace is abundant, but walking in that grace can be hard indeed.