“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8–9:
There is something powerful about still standing.
Not standing because life has been easy. Not standing because every prayer was answered the way we wanted. Not standing because disappointment never found our address. But standing after life gave us reasons to fall.
Many people across Indianapolis know something about that kind of resilience. We have lived through seasons of uncertainty, economic pressure, family challenges, grief, violence, health concerns and unexpected change. Some of us have experienced private battles nobody else knows about. Yet somehow, after everything we have faced, we are still here.
For people of faith, our endurance is more than personal determination. It is testimony to the faithfulness of God.
The Apostle Paul understood this. In 2 Corinthians 4:8–9, he writes: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”
Notice that Paul does not pretend trouble does not exist. Faith does not require us to deny reality. Paul says we can be afflicted. We can be perplexed. We can be persecuted. We can even be knocked down. But trouble does not get the final word.
We can be afflicted — but not crushed. Perplexed — but not hopeless. Knocked down — but not destroyed.
That distinction matters because sometimes we assume that if God is faithful, we should never have trouble. Scripture teaches something different. God’s faithfulness is not always demonstrated by keeping us from trouble. Sometimes God’s faithfulness is revealed by keeping us through trouble.
That changes how we understand difficult seasons. The fact that you struggled does not mean you failed. The fact that you cried does not mean you lacked faith. The fact that you were knocked down does not mean your story is over. You are still here. And sometimes surviving is itself a testimony.
Think about everything you have already survived. There were moments you wondered how you would make it. There were doors that closed, relationships that changed and circumstances you could not control. Yet the morning still came. God sustained you.
That truth should also shape how we see one another. Indianapolis does not simply need stronger institutions; we need stronger relationships. We need communities willing to encourage people who are struggling, support families carrying heavy burdens and remind our neighbors that they do not have to face life’s challenges alone. This is the motivation behind our Men and Women’s Mental Health Movement and its collaboration with local churches and mental health agencies.
Faith should never make us indifferent to suffering. Faith should move us toward people who are suffering.
Remember, someone around us is trying to keep standing. Someone needs encouragement. Someone needs prayer. Someone needs opportunity. Someone simply needs to know that their present struggle does not have to become their permanent condition.
So, wherever you find yourself today, remember this: being knocked down is not the same as being finished. Your circumstances may have changed. Your plans may have been interrupted. Your heart may have been wounded. But God has not abandoned you.
Keep believing. Keep praying. Keep serving. Keep hoping. Keep standing. Because when everything else changes, the faithfulness of God remains. And sometimes the greatest testimony you can give the world is simply this:
I’m still standing.
Rev. Dr. Preston T. Adams, III is the Resident Bishop and Founding and Senior Pastor at Amazing Grace Christian Church in Indianapolis. Follow him on X @DrPrestonTAdams.
Dr. Preston T. Adams, III is the Resident Bishop, Founding and Senior Pastor of Amazing Grace Christian Church (Indianapolis). Follow him on X/Twitter @DrPrestonTAdams.
