Surely, I’m not the only one who used to believe that once you become a Christian life will go easy.

But the truth is, real faith is far from easy.

The book of Luke tells us, Simeon’s eyes finally beheld the Promised One. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”” Luke 2:34-35

Simeon spoke hard words to Mary.

Simeon’s prophecy was far from the prosperity gospel.

The truth is, heartache and pain have accompanied knowing the Savior since He was born.

Yet, so many still seem surprised when following Jesus turns out to be harder than we thought it would be.

I’ve been a Christian for a long time and I still find myself struggling with this sometimes.

It is not easy to surrender to God’s way over my way, or the easier way, or our culture’s way— over and over.

But, for thousands of years, so many who have impacted this world for the cause of Christ have done just that.

They’ve tasted the goodness of the Lord and been forever changed to forsake the easy for the better and live, and even die, for a greater purpose—the likes of Corrie Ten Boom, Jim Elliot and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

With eternity in view, they trusted a God they could not see to do more than they could ask or imagine. (Eph 3:20)

They knew His Word to be more than wishes, but fact. (John 17:17)

They didn’t deny the hard, but trusted God to bring good from it. (Rom 8:28)

They remembered this life is not all there is, so they lived for more than temporal pleasures. (Psalm 39:5, Matt 6:20)

Oh, was it easy?
Far from it.

Is it easy now?
No.

Do we constantly have to remind our prone-to-wander hearts—yes!

Yet, those who have placed their lives in the Hands of the Savior have a supernatural peace that surpasses all human understanding. (Phil 4:7)

Are they perfect? No. But even after they fail they get back up. (Luke 22:32)

They take up their crosses again and follow Christ. They make the hard decisions to continue to daily die to self. (Luke 9:23)

And maybe, just maybe, we need to acknowledge this. We need to refute those peddling the “best life now”, grace-heavy, truth-light, prosperity gospel that is tripping so many up with the first hard thing that comes their way.

Let’s don’t sugarcoat what it means to follow Christ.

It’s so much more than checking a box, walking an aisle, or going through a class. It’s a daily surrender (Luke 9:23).

But in the middle of the hard days, there is a still small voice that whispers, “the trials of this life are but temporary; the best truly is yet to come.” (2 Cor 4:17)

May the redeemed remember that and walk in that. Let’s remind each other of this and teach this to the next generation.

Oh it’s hard,
but nothing,
absolutely nothing,
is better.

“My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
In Him, my righteousness, alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.”
(Bradbury and Mote)

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PS. I am sharing my testimony today at a women’s event and would so appreciate your prayers for God to speak through me for His glory alone.