Acts 13: Filled With Joy and the Holy Spirit

The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jews incited the God–fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.  So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
 -Acts 13:49-52 NIV

We expect too much.  We expect for the gospel to be joyfully received by all, but it's not.  While the news of Jesus' death and resurrection is and always has been the good news, some will not see it that way.  Some see it as a fairy tale.  Some view it with suspicion.  Some see it as absolutely archaic.  Some will even take it so far as to persecute those sharing the good news.  What are we to do?

Our response should be what Jesus told the disciples to do.  After all, he predicted that there would be many that would not respond  to him.  'Shake the dust from your feet', Jesus said, so his disciples did just that.  In return, they were filled with 'joy and the Holy Spirit'.  What a marvelous compensation!  We need to remember this when we encounter opposition and even persecution.  We have been warned , we have been given the response, and if we act accordingly, we will be rewarded with joy and the presence of the Holy Spirit.  While it may sting to see others not responding to the gospel, their fate is not in our hands. It should not stop us from sharing the good news and if we do so, it will not stop us from being filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.