A Hard-Knock Life
“Only in My arms is life’s true path traveled, for it is impossibly hard.” (from Tears from a Lonely God – Chapter Six: Come into My Arms.)
The emphasis in the saying above, in order to be understood correctly, should be on the word “true.” For there are many paths that you could walk down, but I believe, if we are to walk upon God’s path, and fulfill His will—life’s true path—we must do so in God’s Spirit, and under His protection. Our Lord has said:
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33
And why should we have tribulation in the world? Not only because it is full of widespread sin and violence—much as it was in the days of Noah—but because we are different.
As Christians, we are different because this Earth is not our permanent home. We are sojourners. We should have the attitude as that of a traveler or a pilgrim: we’re just passing through for a while. For this reason, because we are not permanent residents of this wicked world, those in the world are bound to persecute us: even above and beyond the normal measure that would normally otherwise be present in this world. Again, Jesus said in a prayer to His Father:
“I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” -John 17:14-15
And so we see our Savior’s desire: not that we would be taken out of the world, or kept altogether isolated and shielded from every little thing Satan and his angels may afflict us with, but that we would stay, but be kept from evil.
God’s will is for us to be in the world, but not of the world. We are to be sheep in the midst of wolves, trusting and clinging to our Shepherd for protection. But, we are not to run away from this conflict. In God’s arms, life’s true path—one that is impossible for natural man to endure—can be traveled to the pleasing of God.
The Bible’s words and pretty clear:
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” -2 Timothy 3:12
If Jesus is our Lord—being above us—and they have abused, slandered, and even crucified him, what shall be done to His servants? What shall we expect to see in this world? Why would we be surprised when we are maligned? Rather, we ought to be surprised and give thanksgiving when, if for even an instant of respite, we are not maligned.
Suffering and persecution are guarantees as a Christian.
Expect it.
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