“For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what was promised.”
Hebrews 10:36
I have bad news.
The life of faith is difficult.
Throughout most of my life, the Church has sold a version of the faith that tells people they should follow Jesus because He will make their lives better. There is truth to that.
A life of faith should lead us toward Shalom, peace. But this is not a peace that represents a lack of conflict. It is a peace representing a life of purpose, contentment, and fulfillment.
Some may object to this perspective, rightly claiming that Jesus said His yoke is easy and we should come to Him for rest. But Matthew follows those words of Jesus with a story in which Jesus teaches that mercy transcends the temple law. Christ’s yoke of mercy is light compared to the yoke of temple sacrifice.
At the same time, the life of faith is a life of love, a sacrificial love. Just a few chapters later in Matthew, Jesus tells His disciples that following Him requires them to deny themselves, to give up their very lives, to take up their cross and follow Him.
While a life of authentic faith is not weighed down by ceremonial sacrifices, it still bears the weight of love, and loving others is not easy.
We must endure, time and time again, choosing love rather than hate. We must persist in leaning into humility rather than pride. We must abandon our desires for revenge and trust in God’s justice. None of that is easy.
To make matters worse, there will be times when the powerful take advantage of the faithful, and we are still to love them despite how we are spitefully used by them. That is a difficult task.
Living a life of faith is very challenging. We will get tired of it. We will cry out to God about it. But ultimately, we must learn to rest in Him.
Love, humility, dependence… these are God’s will. These are what earn a reward. It is difficult to endure in Christ’s way in a world that encourages us to seek power and strength.
A Quote to Consider
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?”
-Martin Luther King Jr.
It is in quotes like this that MLK Jr. most clearly reflected the character of Christ.
We live in an individualistic society that encourages us to seek and do what is best for us. Our entire economic system relies on our desire for gain.
But Christ calls us to love not just ourselves but others. He calls us to sacrifice for the benefit of others. We are to feed and clothe those in need and to provide emotional support for those who need it. We are to do good to others.
Most of us agree that we should do good to others. It is a feather in our cap. However, Martin Luther King Jr. is not claiming it is a good thing for us to do, but rather that it is central to a life well lived. Our disposition toward others is the most important and enduring aspect of life.
Are we loving people, not just in words but also through meaningful actions?
Are we? Am I? Are you?
A Prayer
Lord,
Help me to follow Your way. Give me endurance to love when it is difficult. Strengthen me, Lord, to choose humility when pride calls, to choose mercy, and to truly long for the good of others, even when I am weary and frayed like a thread.
In Christ’s name, Amen.
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