This a true story: The tormentors had been taking turns torturing the Christian women in every way from morning till evening. At last, these tormentors collapsed in exhaustion. “We have tried everything on this one,” said the older of the two. “I can’t think of anything else do do to her! How can she still be alive?! Any one of the tortures we have used today should have been enough to kill her. Yet we used everything, and she still lives!”
Blandina, like many martyrs, had been tormented by the thought that she might not be able to endure the pain and then deny Jesus Christ as they demanded of her. But she was so steadfast in all her sufferings, she was filled with so much power, that even those who tortured her in relays all day long were faint and weary. Every time she repeated her confessions: “I am a Christian,” her heart was strengthened, so she was able to endure the pain.
After all this torture, she was returned to prison to wait for the next holiday, when she and other Christians would appear before the crowds in the stadium. There, she was beaten and roasted upon a red-hot metal plate. Then she was wound up in a net and thrown before bulls, which tossed her many times high up with their horns, and then let her fall down again. Even with all this, she was still ALIVE!
Finally, the judge commanded that she be killed with the sword. (End of story)
Makes me think about the things I complain about! Why complain when I have a God so POWERFUL who loves me and promises to give me the strength and provision I need whenever I come to Him faithfully ‘asking and believing.’ May I always long for that life that is TRULY LIFE that only Jesus has to offer anyone by faith.