But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.
Jeremiah 20:9 NIV
There is something deeply moving about watching someone remain steadfast in the face of adversity. In Jeremiah 20, we witness such a moment. Jeremiah had just delivered a powerful message of judgement to Judah—God’s chosen people who had once again turned away from Him. But instead of repentance the people were hostile and heart-hardened.
Among them was Pashhur, a priest and chief officer in the house of the Lord. Upon hearing Jeremiah’s prophecy, he did not fall to his knees in conviction. Instead, he responded in fury. He had Jeremiah beaten and confined in the stocks by the Upper Benjamin Gate—a public place near the temple. It is striking that Jeremiah’s suffering came not at the hands of strangers or enemies, but from religious leaders within God’s house.
What followed was remarkable. The very next day, when Pashhur released him, Jeremiah didn’t retreat in fear. He didn’t water down the message. He boldly declared another word from the Lord: “The Lord does not call your name Pashhur, but ‘Terror on Every Side’” (Jeremiah 20:3). The prophet addressed his persecutor not with bitterness, but with clarity and divine authority.
This stirred my heart. How does one remain steadfast after such suffering? How does a person continue in obedience after being physically assaulted for delivering God’s truth? Jeremiah’s wounds were still fresh. His humiliation still recent. And yet, his commitment to God had not wavered.
The source of his strength was not pride or defiance. It came from within—a heart saturated with God’s word. Jeremiah later revealed, “But if I say, ‘I will not mention His word or speak any more in His name,’ His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot” (Jeremiah 20:9, NIV). For Jeremiah, silence was not an option. The word of God burned too fiercely within him.
This is the essence of being steadfast. It is not merely about enduring hardship; it is about remaining rooted in God’s calling no matter the cost. The pressure of persecution did not snuff out Jeremiah’s voice. It refined it. His trials did not break his spirit. They revealed the depth of his devotion.
Today, we may not face physical violence for our faith, but standing for God’s truth can still invite ridicule, rejection, or exclusion. The temptation to remain quiet, to blend in, or to compromise is real. But Jeremiah’s life calls us higher. It asks whether we will continue to speak when truth is unpopular, and whether we will stand when obedience demands sacrifice.
Ease or approval is not the yardstick for measuring true faithfulness. But by obedience in the face of challenge. To be steadfast is to say, “I will not be moved”—not because of who we are, but because of the One who called us.
May we, like Jeremiah, be found faithful. May the word of the Lord burn so brightly within us that we cannot help but proclaim it. And when opposition comes, may we remain unshaken—resolute, anchored, and unwavering—because God’s presence strengthens those who stand for Him.
Let us take courage. He sees. He knows. And He rewards those who endure for His name.