There is a toxic teaching in our culture today that says
becoming a Christian makes your life easy; if you become a Christian and have
enough faith, you will not get sick and you will be blessed financially. This
couldn’t be further from the truth.
I would argue that becoming a Christian actually makes your
life harder.
However, it also gives meaning, purpose, hope and true joy
to life.
Jesus talked about this when He was on the earth. Matthew
16:24-26 says, “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me,
let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would
save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find
it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his
soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?’”
That’s the tradeoff. We can live for ourselves and gain the
whole world, but it won’t last long. Eventually, we will die and everything we
have gained in this life will be gone. Or, we can follow Christ. That means
denying ourselves and taking up our cross after Jesus. We will not gain the
world, but will have an eternal reward with Jesus.
When you have truly met Jesus and experienced just how good
He is, you understand that suffering in this life is worth it. Jesus is better
than anything the world has to offer.
As we go through hard times, it’s important to have the
right perspective. When a trial comes, it can be easy to think that you’ve
messed up.
It’s your fault.
You’ll never get it right.
This is not true.
Trials do not mean that you are not a real Christian; the
Bible guarantees that Christians will face trials. If we say we do not
struggle, then we are lying, and I would go so far as to say not even a
Christian.
1 John 1:8 says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
Being a Christian means acknowledging your sin, and
admitting you aren’t good enough. It means trusting in Jesus for your
salvation, and not trying to earn it on your own. We can’t do this if we say we
do not struggle in the first place.
Acknowledging our struggles is important. But it shouldn’t
stop there. Jesus’ brother, James, writes about how we should welcome trials
because they grow us.
James 1:2-4 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you
meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith
produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you
may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
When trials come, we must remember that following Christ
through the trial will lead us into deeper joy.
Paul was no stranger to trials. In fact, he had an ongoing
struggle that he described as a “thorn in the flesh.” Paul describes it in 2
Corinthians 12. Verses 7-10 say, “So to keep me from becoming conceited because
of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the
flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three
times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said
to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that
the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content
with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I
am weak, then I am strong.”
Paul had an ongoing struggle throughout his life. This kept
him from being prideful. He humbly clung to Christ throughout his trials,
pointing to Jesus instead of himself.
So, how will you respond to this?
Maybe you think you really don’t struggle with sin or
trials. If this is you, I pray that you get honest with yourself. Everybody
struggles with sin. Either they are obliviously living in sin and enjoying it,
or they know what they are doing but don’t want to give it up. I pray that you
recognize your sin and turn to Jesus. He is better.
Maybe you are on the other side of this. You know how sinful
you are, and are in the middle of a trial that keeps beating you down. Know
that you are not alone. Continue taking up your cross and following Him. Although
it is hard, He will lead you into a deeper joy, as He continues to work in your
heart and life.
It is my prayer that we would embrace this attitude when
trials come our way. We can be confident that Christ will use them for His
glory and our good. Let us take up our cross and follow Him.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the
world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
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