Ease, comfort and pleasure. Isn’t that what our culture values the most? Just look at every advertisement, commercial, magazine or self-help book. It’s all about making our lives better, easier, more fun! From the car we drive, to the clothes we wear, to the food we eat, we are a people who seek the good life.
Even our Christian culture has bought into the idea that as followers of Jesus, our lives should be blessed, comfortable and happy, right? I mean, the Bible is full of such promises:
Jesus himself said in John 10:10 (NSV):
I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
And the psalms are full of verses about blessing and prosperity.
But in truth, I don’t believe the blessings in these promises are the kind of blessings we think about today. They are soul and spirit blessings: peace, joy, love, hope. Things this world cannot understand. Does God bless you with money and success? Absolutely, He can and often does, if it fits in with His plan. But that’s not His focus.
In fact, I believe that Christians should expect to have an even harder life than those who don’t believe. Whoa, that’s a controversial statement! When I say harder, I don’t mean a bad life or a life of defeat. I just mean harder.
Jesus’ own words: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me (Luke 9:23 NIV).
In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world (John 16:33 NASB).
Listen to what Paul told the new converts spread throughout Asia:
. . . strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God (Acts 4:21–22 NKJV).
I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound very strengthening to me! Here’s another unlovely description of the Christian life:
But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one (Hebrews 10:32–34 NASB).
Endured a great conflict of sufferings? Accepted joyfully the seizure of your property? Are you kidding me?
I could list Scripture after Scripture telling Christians they will suffer in this life. Why Christians more than others? I don’t believe it’s simply because of persecution (which none of us here in America have had to endure . . . yet). I believe it’s also because we have committed our lives to a higher standard. We have committed to following a God who is about the business of making us more like His Son.
In other words, we’ve signed up for the voyage. We’ve put our signature on the articles and are now on the ship, but the Captain—Jesus, the One who will steer us across the sea to Heaven— now has to take us bunch of whiny, lazy, spoiled, selfish kids and make strong, courageous, disciplined seamen out of us! What a task!
How does He do it? By making our voyage smooth and easy? By giving us lavish meals and comfy hammocks to nap in on deck? No! Any good captain knows he must be hard on his crew. He must give his sailors tasks that are difficult and taxing, tasks that stretch the limits of their strength and endurance. He must make them stand watch for hours on end with little sleep. He must command they climb the shrouds into the tops to stand on the highest yard until they are no longer afraid of heights. He must order them to scrub the decks and polish the brass until their hands are red and raw. He must drill them on guns and sails and navigation until they can do it in their sleep.
Wait a minute, I signed up for the Caribbean cruise . . . what’s going on? Where’s my umbrella drink?
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope (Romans 5:3–5 NASB).
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance (James 1:2–3 NASB).
Jesus wants you to be able to weather the storms of life. He wants you to survive and in your strength and wisdom, to help train others. He wouldn’t be a good Captain otherwise.
Now, you can opt out. You can disobey His orders and lollygag around the ship, complaining about the food and the weather and the arduous tasks. But watch out, there are rough seas up ahead. And if you haven’t grown strong by doing hard work, you just might fall overboard!
MaryLu Tyndall