"What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” Acts 21:13.
The easy way is rarely the Lord's way. We might assume that Jesus owes it to us to make things easy because we seek to faithfully follow Him, but He has made no such promise. The fact is, He has promised just the opposite: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me" Matthew 16:24
The Apostle Paul knew that discipleship involved hardship and danger, and he was prepared to accept that. We may find it more difficult to accept. A life of ease is appealing and, sadly, is often falsely promoted as a benefit of following Jesus. Prosperity preachers attract large crowds to hear this ear-pleasing message, yet fail to mention that "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” Acts 14:22.
What's a follower of Christ to do? For starters, accepting that the way of hardship is the way of discipleship. 1 Peter 4:12 states, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you." A fiery trial would be surprising to most of us, but a life relatively free from persecution and opposition is the exception rather than the rule.
Most importantly, we must never lose sight of our Master, who has overcome: "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" Hebrews 12:2.
Through sunshine or rain, joy or pain, may we walk and run with a view of our Master ever before us.
©Steve Taylor, 2022 --Used by permission
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