The Easy Life
I could easily ‘quit’ being a Christian and live the “easy” life. A life that focuses on the “real world.” A life that aims to please self. If I quit going to church, that frees up 3-4 extra days in my week. More to do for myself on Saturdays instead of winning the lost for the Lord. I could sleep in and relax on Sundays instead of going to church. My Thursday nights could be spent watching TV instead of attending Prayer Meeting Midweek Services. I could use my Fridays to go out and “enjoy” the night life. I could also go to school at night all week long without having to worry about “church stuff.” I could live my life entirely doing what I want to do and accomplishing all sorts of things, big and small, for myself and for my own personal glory and win the praise of everyone around me. Live to work and work to live.
Then, I could say things like “my heart was broken, so I’ll turn to alcohol,” or “someone hurt me so I’ll resort to drugs,” or “Things are just not going the right way for me and I don’t want to feel any more pain and sorrow, so I’ll spend my weekends partying it up and numbing my senses and just forgetting everything around me and just being carefree.” I could also just blame other people and say “some people are not really who they say they are, so I’m just going to do what I want to do.” But then again, what kind of life would that be? Selfish, for one. Mainly, the word I would use to describe that kind of life would be… empty. Pointless. Unsatisfying in the long run.
Why would I quit Christianity in the first place? Jesus Christ isn’t someone I can just “break up” with. After all He’s done for me? Jesus died for me. For my sins. Lifted me up and carried me into His field of grace. He gave me what I didn’t deserve - His love. How could I turn away from the Christ that has promised me a home in Heaven, just so I could do the things that I want? He gives me His unconditional love and His bountiful mercy and His undending grace… and I repay Him by turning my back to Him?
No. I can never forget what Jesus Christ did for me on Calvary. I will never forget about His suffering and His agony… everything that He experienced so I wouldn’t have to go through it all… so I wouldn’t have to burn in the pits of hell.
Instead of making excuses to live for myself, I could use the situations and hardships I encounter to get closer to God and do more for Him. He’s taken me this far… And I know He has more in store for me. I just have to obey and remain faithful.
God didn’t promise me an easy life just because I’m a Christian. In fact, he said I would suffer for Christ’s sake. But this suffering is nothing compared to what He suffered and what we would have suffered, had we rejected the gift of salvation. What He did promise, though, was that it will all be worth it in the end.
For anyone reading this, I encourage you… Don’t quit. Keep on. No matter what we go through in this life, we must remember, “This world is not our home, we’re just a-passing through.” It’s ALL worth it in the end.
