When difficult or traumatic things happen to us in ministry, we are tempted to think that they are a hindrance to the advancement of the gospel. But what we learn from Paul’s ministry in Acts is that the Lord continually uses adversity to advance his mission. In fact, we would not see Jesus’ mission through Paul unfolding in the same way apart from the hardships and challenges Paul faced. This understanding of how the Lord works through adversity is essential for us as his witnesses.