The Hard Stuff

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Gal 5:1

“Have you ever heard the Master say a hard word? If you have not, I question whether you have heard Him say anything,” the great preacher-teacher Oswald Chambers once said. I have to agree. As much as we would like to pick and choose parts of the Bible which give us hope and makes us feel good, we have to consider there are some hard parts which we can’t ignore in the Word of God.

How often do we want the peace of God which transcends all understanding but then we refuse to follow the Prince of Peace in those things which are not easy or which we don’t like or understand. Jesus asks His followers to do some hard things. He tells us to “love our enemy and turn the other cheek”. He tells us to forgive those who have hurt us. He tells us not to repay evil for evil. Instead, He asks us to take up our cross and follow Him and give our possessions and our time to those less fortunate or even to those who won’t appreciate us. Jesus tells us to obey Him despite our feelings. Following Jesus is not a “feel good, tell you what-you-want-to hear” religion. On the contrary, Jesus tells us following Him may make us feel like the oddball – He even tells us we are aliens and strangers here. But “here” is not our home. Some who have been called to pay the costliest of price - to die for the cause of Christ – must have held dearly to that truth until they drew their final breath. But few of us will be called to give our lives, yet we are all called to obedience in some hard things.

I wonder what hard thing the Savior asking from you? Have you drawn a line and said “anything but that”? I don’t know what your “that” is but I wonder if your “that” is what is holding you back from really knowing the Prince of Peace? If you are trusting Jesus as Lord for your salvation He must also be Lord (boss) of your life and your choices. ..even the hard ones. Are you ready to go to a new place with God? Are you ready to get past some hurts and hang-ups that have been plaguing you for too long? Are you ready to shake free from the yoke of slavery that comes from disobedience? Do you want real freedom? If so, follow Him in the hard and watch Him do a mighty work in and through you. You will reap a mountain of blessing and He is worth it…

Prayer: Lord, am I holding back from following you? Oh, search my heart and show me the hard things which you have asked and I have refused. Please forgive me for disobeying you. Give me the strength to lay down “my way” for your better way. Take my life Lord… all of it. I want the freedom that comes from following You in all things… even the hard ones. Strengthen these shaky knees and help me walk in your way. Amen.