If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it (Mark 8:35 NLT).
Many can attest that during our walks as Christians, the journey gets tough, we grow weary in our well doing, and at times we ask ourselves,”is it truly worth it at the end of the day?” or “can we finish this race that’s before us?” These are the questions I’ve found myself pondering for a while, especially now, seeing the state of the world, its happenings and what its inhabitants are going through. Lately, I’ve seen many within my local Christian community or close family members going through trying times and coupled with my own circumstances, I’ve wondered “is this really the walk of a Christian?” But my question to you all is what is the life a Christian?
Is it sunshine and rainbows all the time? Or at times, ugly and painful? Many times, we look for the road of comfortability and safety. It’s rare we readily choose the road less traveled.
If it was up to us honestly, who would choose the road of more obstacles and opposition, where we are the main ones under siege from every direction from issues, setbacks, and calamity? I know nine times out of ten, I wouldn’t. When the going gets tough, I know I’ve questioned, is this path really for me? I think the answers we all seek at one point or another in our lives can be found in the life of Jesus. When we look at Jesus’ time on Earth, was He not persecuted, did He not fight opposition, endure challenging times, and ask God did He have to do this (Matthew 26:39)? So, if God in the flesh went through these things, what makes us think as Christians we don’t or won’t have to go through similar things on our journeys in this life?
Lately, I’ve questioned God “why me? Why this particular trial or circumstances? Why couldn’t it be someone else to bear this trial or duty?” People close to me have mentioned similar statements, due to unwanted trials or storms that have come upon them, and maybe you have too. Recently, someone asked me, “why not you?” It wasn’t the answer or response I wanted to hear, and I don’t believe it’s the response any of us wants to hear when we are enduring trials or not so pleasant seasons. But at those key moments in our lives, where we are spiritually low, tapped out mentally, and pondering what else is there to do or what can we do? We don’t need to hear things that we want to hear, but the things that we need to hear. Things that “keep us moving forward and running the race that has been set before us” (Hebrews 12:1-3). That person lastly mentioned to me, “For we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV).
At times that’s what we truly have to do, not live by what our present circumstances or what our emotions tell us – but where our hope resides. In our lives we will have duties, obligations, and circumstances that will have us questioning if we can continue on or finish the race or task, but once again, we have to look to Jesus.
In (John 5:8-9 NIV), it says, “Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.”
God enables us to continue running our race—whatever that may be for each of us, especially in whatever season we’re in, bad or good. We will grow weary, want to give up, and be paralyzed mentally due to the things we all go through. But by faith we continue on, comforted by the fact that Paul said “let us not be weary in well doing: we shall reap a harvest if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9). And by faith and in our weaknesses through God, we’re able to pick up our mats and keep moving forward (2 Corinthians 12:9). If we didn’t pick up our mats daily, where would the state of our lives and loved ones be?
