Dragged Through The Mud

Guest post by author C.A. Simonson

II Corinthians 12:10 -“I delight in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

No matter what the man did or said, the opposition challenged him at every turn. His accusers shouted. “He is stirring up riots! He incites the crowds into violence and insurrection! He’s a troublemaker. We want him gone!”

The accusations were lies. Misconceptions and false information had the city in an uproar, and truth was nowhere to be found. The man’s reputation was dragged through the mud. He could have been discouraged, but he didn’t quit. The conflict caused him to dig in his heels and persevere. (See Acts 24)

Paul suffered injustices simply because he preached the gospel of Christ. “We rejoice in our sufferings…,” he begins. The Greek term for suffering is the image of a threshing tool that claws through rocky dirt to remove stones and weeds. Paul experienced that same type of being ‘dragged through the mud.’ He recounts being flogged more than five times with thirty-nine lashes, beaten with rods, stoned, and shipwrecked three times. (II Corinthians 6:4-10) Perhaps the image of the rake came to mind when he penned the letter to the Romans.

Somehow, he still rejoiced in his sufferings, “…because sufferings produce perseverance, and perseverance produces character. Character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint.” (Romans 3:3-5)

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Hope is paramount. When you’re facing troubles and hardships, take hope. There’s light at the end of the tunnel. If you feel like you’re being ‘dragged through the mud’ or being wronged, look for that light. Jesus. He’s there to help and encourage. He is our hope that gets us through each day.

“If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

C.A. (Candy) Simonson is a freelance writer and novelist. She began writing nonfiction articles in the 1980s with almost 800 articles published in multiple national or online magazines. Her award-winning stories are in seven anthologies, including Chicken Soup for the Soul. Her debut young adult novel, Love’s Journey Home, published in 2013 was followed by seven Christian YA novels and five nonfiction books. As a former IT computer trainer/teacher, she enjoys assisting other authors with book formatting, self-publishing, cover design, and sharing her technical and writing knowledge with writers’ groups. She serves the Springfield Writers’ Guild Board as the 2024 and 2025 President and SWG webmaster. See more at CASIMONSON.COM