Finding Meaning through the Hardships of Life: The John Wesley Story
By: Brian G. Chilton, M.Div., Ph.D. | June 30, 2025
A little over a month ago, my family and I took an amazing trip to Savannah, Georgia. It was the first time that I had ever been to the “Hostess City of the South.” And Savannah did not disappoint in the slightest. Savannah is rich in history. And rightfully so, the city was founded in 1733–43 years prior to the founding of the United States of America. Savannah was an important city during both the Revolutionary War and Civil War, with Fort Pulaski seeing the brunt of the action.
As we toured the city, we came upon Reynolds Square. At the center of the square, we saw a statue of a familiar face. It was that of famed evangelist John Wesley. John Wesley was a British Anglican who founded a new Holy Society that later developed into what is now known as Methodism. It had not dawned on me until our tour that John Wesley spent two years in Savannah as a pastor.
Finding Meaning in the Hardships of Ministry
John Wesley ministered in Savannah from 1735 to 1737. John Oglethorpe—the founder of the Georgia colony—invited him to the colony and specially asked that he serve at Christ Church.
Unfortunately, Christ Church would be a difficult place for Wesley. A lot of his troubles came from a strained relationship with a former girlfriend named Sophia Hopkey. John was going to ask Sophia to marry him on a previous visit. However, John struggled with whether he should remain celibate and was unsure of her readiness to serve as a pastor’s wife. Sophia, however, did not wish to wait. Thinking that John would not commit, she married another man named William Williamson.
Finding Meaning in the Hardships of Life
Sophia and William started attending Christ Church. To say that Sophia and William’s presence at the church was awkward is likely an understatement. Wesley believed that Sophia’s spiritual life declined more than when they were dating, so he refused to permit her to take communion, citing church discipline as the cause. This led to great turmoil in the church, leading Williamson to take out a class action lawsuit against Wesley, claiming that John was defaming Sophia’s character. Facing mounting problems, John decided to “shake the dust off my feet, and left Georgia.”1John Wesley, “The Journal of John Wesley,” December 2, 1737.
Finding Meaning in the Hardships of Spirituality
This famed preacher faced a challenging time in Savannah. However, his time in Savannah would be one of the most formative of his ministerial career. On his way back to England, John reflected deeply on his faith. Though he had taken the necessary steps to salvation, his disciplinary lifestyle did not offer him the inward assurance he desired.
The Blessings Resulting from Hardship
On May 24, 1738, John would receive the inward assurance he so desperately needed. Reluctantly, Wesley agreed to attend a Moravian service on Aldersgate Street in London. During that meeting, John had a spiritual awakening. He records his experience as follows:
“About a quarter before nine, while [someone] was describing the change God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”2John Wesley, “The Journal of John Wesley,” May 24, 1738.
John’s spiritual awakening led to a mighty revival that would eventually lead to the formation of Methodism. One could argue that if John Wesley had not gone through the turmoil in Savannah, he may have never been given the assurance of faith that he needed. Furthermore, the revival that accompanied his assurance of faith would have never occurred.
Conclusion
The same is true for us. We may face times of hardship, sometimes severe. However, God is able to take those moments and make something great out of them. As I reflect upon some of my own troubles in ministry and life, I am reminded of the biblical passage that reads, “A person’s heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps” (Prov. 16:9, CSB). And Paul’s admonition that “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28, CSB). If you have or are going through a tough time of ministry, or in life in general, take heart. God is not finished writing your story. In fact, your time of difficulty may be necessary to lead to greater fruit in the end.
(c) 2025. Bellator Christi.
Notes
- 1John Wesley, “The Journal of John Wesley,” December 2, 1737.
- 2John Wesley, “The Journal of John Wesley,” May 24, 1738.
