It is easy to sing worship songs every Sunday. It is easy to sit in church every single meeting and pretend to listen and digest the whole sermon. It is easy to volunteer and serve whenever you have free time.
It’s easy to post Bible messages or inspirational “Christian” quotes. It’s easy to listen to non-stop gospel hymns 24/7 on Spotify.
It is easy to say “I am a Christian,” to preach when needed, to pretend when your heart is not willing, to show off and do “good deeds” when eyes are staring.
It is easy to raise your hands to heaven with tears in your eyes and sing how much you love God when everything is going well. It is easy to share the beauty of Jesus with others when the days are bright and worries are not in the way of meeting you.
It is easy to witness all the great blessings and provisions He has given you when miracles are left and right, when your family is healthy when your career is thriving, when your relationships are healed, when progress is made. It is easy to feel His presence when you are in the space you desire to meet Him.
But you know what’s hard?
It creates time to meet Him wherever you are.
To meet a hungry beggar and give him something when he has nothing. People are being worshiped when you can’t even bring yourself to worship. It is to see the face of God in difficult people. Taking care of people who don’t treat you well.
It is a choice you make every day to stay with Him and choose Him every day. It is a daily commitment to read His word and make time to hear when He speaks.
It says I love you and what you say. Raise your hands to Him and not to people. Singing praises on a busy night at work. It takes time out of your day to pause in His presence.
It makes Jesus a daily choice and not just a Sunday ritual. It makes His works and heart famous, not ours. It testifies to His greatness, not ours. It reflects back all the grace of His grace and not on our hard work and “hard working Christianity” because the truth is, we have gained nothing.
It is very trying to overcome your struggle when you only see your failure. Hearing His voice when all you have in repetition is doubt and self-denial.
It’s really hard to believe God’s promises when all you can see is darkness. It’s a thank you if you don’t get what you prayed for. It always hopes to succeed during pure waiting. He praises him in the midst of pain. Raising your hands when you want to do it is giving up. He is very trusting in times of loss. You love him more on days when your eyes are filled with tears, and you hear the sound of your heart breaking.
You see, Christianity is difficult because choosing Jesus does not promise that everything will be easy from here on out – no, in fact, things will stay the same. There will still be tears, heartache, failure, disappointment, death, sickness. Choosing Jesus does not promise a pain-free life. But it promises you comfort in the midst of pain, healing in the midst of sickness, unconditional love in the midst of heartache, success after disappointment, and eternal life after death. He doesn’t promise easily, because it’s easy and he never needed him.
Yes, it’s hard but it’s worth it.
