Why would the people suffer?

Someone keeps shooting our church with projectiles of some sort. Our front door window is the latest. Shattered with what looks like a BB or .117 pellet. Somebody apparently hates us. I would advise all churches to have several ''carrying" members.

 

Jesus painted kind of a dark picture:

1“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. - John 16:2-4

But it's also because of Jesus that we have hope:

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. - John 14:1-3

 

I wonder if the church was targeted because it was a church, or simply because it was a soft target.

 

Though in America we are often surprised by this, including me quite often, we should never be surprised when the world hates us and desires our persecution. Jesus warns us so many times that we will be hated and persecuted that it stands out as one of his biggest subjects for his preaching.

Still, today's murders were horrific and terrifying. Given recent shootings at churches, not so much that a church was targeted, but that so many were slain or shot and wounded. We will find what motivated the shooter, but given his criminal history and tactical gear, he seems to have been a rational actor.

However, all over the world Christians are persecuted horrifically for what we believe every day. I have read that every month 322 believers are murdered, 214 church buildings destroyed, and 772 Christians suffer horrific violence over our faith.

 

In my opinion, people who suffer might be arrangement for us to learn.