WHEN IT'S HARD

When it’s hard to practice, practice anyway. When the pain says quit, practice anyway. When the going gets rough, practice anyway.

When it’s hard to understand, keep seeking. When you lose your way, keep searching. When it won’t budge keep knocking.

                When life is hard, keep on keeping on. When there are no answers, keep on asking. When the path is unclear keep on anyway.

                Practice what? And what for? Is it not easier to resign to the circumstances and just quit?

                “I thought when I became a Christian life would be easy.”

                “I thought when I became a Christian I would be loved.”

                “I thought if I forgave I’d be forgiven”.

                “I thought I would never get sick again”.

                “I thought I would experience a do over and it would be easier”.

                Where is the reality? Is there a reality I do not know of? If so, how can I find it?

                Well…it’s hard, really hard because we’re taught the total opposite. Have faith, we’re told. Simply believe, we’re told.          Really?

                Well…I’m tired of being told. I want to experience. I don’t want to listen to someone else’s experience any more.

                I’ve come to know that even what I know I do not really know. I just think I know. And I’m not by myself. You who are reading may be having a similar experience.

                I’ve been made jealous, not of any person, but of their relationship with God which I so desperately want. So I guess I’ll just have to do the hard thing I do not want to do. Forsake all, crucify my way and follow Him who then becomes my Way. When I say forsake all I mean all. My knowledge is not enough. Even my humility is not enough. I want the more that I know is waiting. “Unless a man loses his soul for My sake he’ll not find it”.

I remember some time ago, I was talking to God (mostly what we do rather than with Him) and reflecting on what Jesus said, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. My response was,” that is OK for You but what about me?” Obviously I had not studied in context and I was focused on me rather than Him.

In the first part of that verse it says, “These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace.” It’s the “in Me” I was searching understanding for.

In chapter 17 we see the intercessory prayer, the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus, for the disciples then and all who would later come. In verse 3 He said, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you sent”. And he was sent so we may know the only true God-because He was the expressed, manifested presence in the flesh of God exhibiting on earth every attribute of the God of heavens and earth.

To know, to have a real relationship, not with a fantasy described in ink but with a living being who has invited us to live in His house, with Him and His Father. He goes on to say here and in many and varied ways that the very instant we believed we became one with Him, vs.20-21. That oneness is our new spirit, INSTANTLY one with His Spirit.

But you have to know that in His house there are rules. Rules to enter and rules to live by. Only Jesus is the door and the way. Only those who are pure of heart who after having accepted the faith to believe receive grace to enter after firstly believing, “God is a rewarder of all those who desire to know Him.” To know Him for Him not for some selfish misguided motive, but to know Him for Himself alone.

It may come to pass that once you know Him, that this world that we’re in will reject us in ways we do not now comprehend. Will we endure the hard things in order to gain Christ? Testing is on its way and it will not delay. The testing is for your benefit to prove to yourself that you have truly in Him “overcome the world”.