Christianity Does Not Equal Comfort

I think often people have the vision that when you become a Christian everything is supposed to be right with the world, you're supposed to walk a golden path lined with some invisible bubble of protection. This couldn't be further from the truth, in fact that is why they call the road to Christianity the narrow and hard road. Once you are sold out for Jesus, the enemy will put a target on your back and you will experience storms and trials. 

Becoming a Christian does not qualify you for a life of ease and constant comfort. We are still called to walk through storms and experience circumstances that we don't want to. Often we become angry at God for this, and focus on the constant worries of what we're going through. But often it is in the storms and the great pains of life that we are refined the most, learn the most about ourselves, and experience the greatest growth in our spiritual lives. We have to remind ourselves that absence of pain means absence of progress in a lot of ways.

Is this meant to sound like becoming a Christian is a miserable life and we set ourselves up for struggle and impossible circumstances? Absolutely not. What it does mean is that when we accept Christ and we walk the right path we do have God's protection and nothing that happens to us can come to to pass unless He allows it. He does not cause bad things to happen to us, but there are some instances in which we can be pretty stubborn or make repeated patterns of mistakes. In those cases, Our Almighty Father has to allow consequences to get our attention and have us turn from our ways and run back to him. But in this He keeps a close watch over us, He protects us, and He never leaves our side. Through our trials God gives us strength, hope, and even joy right in the middle of the worst circumstances and situations. It is hard to explain this to a nonbeliever, how to find joy in heartache and loss, but as a follower of Christ we learn along the way that He uses every bad situation to benefit our lives and the greater good of His Kingdom in some way. 

Let's meditate on the Scriptures below which tell us that we will experience trials, but that nothing will reign victorious over God and his protection of us. We will also see that God uses everything as a part of His purpose, our calling, and His greater plan. Let us remember that God sees all things, knows all things, and has seen our end from before we even began. If we can't put our trust in that, what can we put it in?

(Romans 5:3 AMP) “Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.”

(James 1:12 ESV) “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

(Philippians 4:13 ESV) “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”

(Romans 8:28 NIV) “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

(2 Peter 1:10-11 ESV) “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

(Proverbs 3:5 MSG) “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own.” 

(Hebrews 13:8 KJV) “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”