Why Being A Christian Is Hard, But The Best Life To Live
“Being a Christian is really hard.”
That statement was said to me shortly after I decided to give my life back to Christ. It was a statement that actually confused me.
You see, although I was raised in the church, and for much of my childhood and teen years, I lived my life for Christ, once I went to college, I went my own way. I found acceptance with sports teams opposed to Christ. That definitely came with repercussions, and consequences as I got older. Because of my sin, I also carried a lot of problems because of the life I had lived. Most of that was emotional.
When I turned my life back to God, my life seemed to be easier. I can only say that is in response to a life of less sin. I say less sin because I still sinned… but I had definitely repented and my lifestyle was much different than it had been for about 7 years.
So yes, life seemed easier. The narrow road definitely kept me from many of the hardships that were brought on by the not so narrow road. So why would my friend say that being a Christian was hard?
Being a Christian is Hard
Oh I would learn, and I would learn quickly. This was a post that I wrote a few years back. I remember how these moments felt. Not understanding why I was experiencing what I was. I had stepped out in faith, yet as I did I was left feeling disappointed and angry at God.
Why would He ask me to step out of the boat, only to lead me to these moments that felt so uncomfortable?
Yes, I was learning that the Christian life was not easy. But I was wrong about why. Walking the narrow road was the easy part.
The hard part was obedience and faith.
I was learning that the Christian life was not easy. But I was wrong about why. Click To TweetWherever You Lead, I Will Follow
I learned quickly that God takes our prayers seriously, when I told God “I will go where you lead me, and do whatever you ask.” What I meant by that was, lead me anywhere that is comfortable. That was a prayer I could handle. That was also a prayer that I felt had an expected outcome, the outcome I could handle and even want.
I can never sum up in a blog post how unexpected my life would become after that prayer, that God took seriously. I mean why wouldn’t He? I prayed it in full faith, and it prayed it to the same God that would test my commitment.
I don’t mean test in a bad way. I have come to learn that tests prove what you know, so that you can advance to the next level. Kind of like an exam in school right? But a test from God isn’t in multiple choice form, it isn’t even a true or false test.
Nope. A test from God is a yes or no answer, with obedience or disobedience following.
Faith is the Question and the Answer
And the question will always be something similar to this: Do I have enough faith to trust God in the unknown? Do I believe that He is working all things together for His glory, and my good because I love Him? Do I know that He is my refuge and strength, the One who lifts my head, and will never put me to shame? And no weapon formed against me will stand?
Yes, this is the hard part of being a Christian. Faith in what seems impossible.
We see this with Jesus and His disciples in the feeding of the 5000. A great crowd of people had followed them because they saw that He had healed the sick. When Jesus saw the great crowd, he asked Philliop where they would buy bread to feed them all. John 6:6 says that He asked this to test him, as He already knew what he was going to do.
When God tests us He already knows the outcome. A faith filled answer would been “God will provide all of our needs.” But Phillip said that it would take more than 6 months of wages to buy enough food for the crowd.
We know the end of the story. Jesus gave thanks to God, and distributed as much as the crowd wanted, and they ended up having leftovers.
I am often like Phillip. And that is what makes the Christian life hard. The unseen, the unknown, and the impossible. Trusting when there doesn’t seem to be enough.
But Christianity defies what we often classify impossible. What makes following Christ the best life to live is that God is the God of the impossible. He is good, and faithful. The God who sees beyond today, even though we can’t.
Being A Christian Is Hard, But The Best Life To Live
When I look back at my post from a few years ago, I remember the brokenness and fear. I remember the tears I shed, that were balanced with trying to trust and have enough faith that God would somehow work it all out.
Looking back, I see that He really did work it all out. And what was ahead was beautiful, and trust me when I say that it wasn’t because of anything I did, but because God makes the impossible reality. He keeps us, and protects us under the shelter of His wings, for the glory of His name. He is a strong tower for the weak, and a solid rock on which we can stand.
I don’t know where you are in your walk today. But we really can trust in Him. We can’t see beyond our moments, but He does. And He will carry us to our desired haven, if hold steadfast to His promise that He is with us.
