Being a Christian isn't all that easy...and being a good Christian can be downright hard. This is not what many evangelists promise, but any believer who has been around the block knows this all too well. Oh, sure, we're not skulking around in basements and alleyways to conduct our faith....you know, it just occurred to me that some who are reading this might indeed be worshiping in hiding, just for personal safety. God help you, if you are, and the rest of us acknowledge that the "difficulty" we speak of in our own lives does not compare with yours. But our lives can be hard, too, in their own ways.
When I say the Christian life can be hard, I am talking about the difficulties we have which originate with, or are permitted by, God Himself. Don't hang up, yet. First of all, if we have sin in our lives, and have not confessed them to God, as He instructs us to, we will be targeted for divine discipline. And the longer the condition goes uncorrected, the worse things will get. This discipline can also come as a result of our not studying the Word, or not praying.
Discipline is no fun, but when it comes, where does it hit us the hardest? Nope. Not in the pocket-book, although it may hit us there. Not as disease, or unstable relationships, or busted plans...actually, it is even worse than these, even though we may experience these, as well. Divine discipline hits us the hardest as "anguish", or unhappiness in our souls. David described God's discipline this way, in Ps. 32: "My bones wasted away...my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer." Misery. That's the barb in discipline. Of course, David found relief in confession, saying "Then I acknowledged my sin to you...and you forgave the guilt of my sin."
The second source of trouble for believers is seen in the form of God's training: tests and trials designed to prompt our growth. This is not a "walk in the park" to help our circulation. This is a serious, intense form of basic training. Sometimes, it can be real suffering. And here's the kicker: the more concentrated we are on learning God's Word, and the more we understand about the way the Christian life is supposed to be lived, the more intense the training becomes.
So--not only do we have to confess often, study consistently, and pray without ceasing, we also have to endure hardships, perhaps extreme, just so our faith can grow. So what's the point? Why would anyone want to sign up for such pressure and pain? The reason is strong, but perhaps not obvious. We sign up for the "A" Team, because we know that everything works together for good to those who love God, and we know the A-teamers are the ones who love God.
We can be sure that, with maturity, comes greater faith, the fruit of the Spirit, effective prayer, wisdom, and a full panoply of spiritual...and other...provisions. (See Matt. 6:33) We can also be assured that we are storing up for ourselves treasures in heaven...rewards designated for those who learn to operate in God's power.
Finally, the thing we need to learn is the same thing Job learned. Most people don't know how much Job ended up questioning God before his suffering was finished. But the thing he learned, and the lesson for us, is this: God is good. Whether He is disciplining us because we are out of line, or training us to prepare us for greater battles to come, we can know that His love abides, and we can thank Him every day that what is happening is directed by the Creator Himself, and remember that He...the Original Source and Sustainer of Everything...is also our Father.
When I say the Christian life can be hard, I am talking about the difficulties we have which originate with, or are permitted by, God Himself. Don't hang up, yet. First of all, if we have sin in our lives, and have not confessed them to God, as He instructs us to, we will be targeted for divine discipline. And the longer the condition goes uncorrected, the worse things will get. This discipline can also come as a result of our not studying the Word, or not praying.
Discipline is no fun, but when it comes, where does it hit us the hardest? Nope. Not in the pocket-book, although it may hit us there. Not as disease, or unstable relationships, or busted plans...actually, it is even worse than these, even though we may experience these, as well. Divine discipline hits us the hardest as "anguish", or unhappiness in our souls. David described God's discipline this way, in Ps. 32: "My bones wasted away...my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer." Misery. That's the barb in discipline. Of course, David found relief in confession, saying "Then I acknowledged my sin to you...and you forgave the guilt of my sin."
The second source of trouble for believers is seen in the form of God's training: tests and trials designed to prompt our growth. This is not a "walk in the park" to help our circulation. This is a serious, intense form of basic training. Sometimes, it can be real suffering. And here's the kicker: the more concentrated we are on learning God's Word, and the more we understand about the way the Christian life is supposed to be lived, the more intense the training becomes.
So--not only do we have to confess often, study consistently, and pray without ceasing, we also have to endure hardships, perhaps extreme, just so our faith can grow. So what's the point? Why would anyone want to sign up for such pressure and pain? The reason is strong, but perhaps not obvious. We sign up for the "A" Team, because we know that everything works together for good to those who love God, and we know the A-teamers are the ones who love God.
We can be sure that, with maturity, comes greater faith, the fruit of the Spirit, effective prayer, wisdom, and a full panoply of spiritual...and other...provisions. (See Matt. 6:33) We can also be assured that we are storing up for ourselves treasures in heaven...rewards designated for those who learn to operate in God's power.
Finally, the thing we need to learn is the same thing Job learned. Most people don't know how much Job ended up questioning God before his suffering was finished. But the thing he learned, and the lesson for us, is this: God is good. Whether He is disciplining us because we are out of line, or training us to prepare us for greater battles to come, we can know that His love abides, and we can thank Him every day that what is happening is directed by the Creator Himself, and remember that He...the Original Source and Sustainer of Everything...is also our Father.
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