September 30, 2026
— Hao Yimin · Source: Steadfast: The Biography of Hao Yimin
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
"Every heart that possesses Christ is a missionary." Being a missionary is not just for those who go to distant lands; it is the identity of everyone who follows Christ. Yet this identity does not guarantee a smooth path: Paul tells us that we are hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. Hao Yimin also once grew so discouraged in Henan that he wanted to give up. We discover that what keeps us "not crushed, but not in despair" is not our own strength, but Christ within us. Wherever I am today is the harvest field God has placed before me.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for placing Christ in my heart and making me Your ambassador. Please open my eyes to see the family members, colleagues, and friends around me as those whom You love. When I am hard pressed on every side and perplexed, please remind me that I am not crushed and not in despair, because You are with me. Grant me the courage to live out the gospel in my everyday life, and make me willing to go the extra mile for You. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.