When following the Lord is difficult, we may question God or want to take an easier way. A friend was a Hindu until he came to know Jesus as his Savior. Later, when he told his family, they beat him and threw him out of the house, and so began his journey of following the Lord. Although the next few years were difficult, he persevered with the help of the Lord. Through this challenging beginning, the Lord molded and shaped him into the evangelist he is today, telling others about the good news of Jesus.
You may be in a situation today where the Lord is calling you to follow a path that seems overwhelming. When we find ourselves in that situation, the Lord is always there for us to depend on, giving us peace and encouragement. David knew hard times and spent years on the run before he became king. Yet through these experiences, David wrote such Psalms as:
- Psalm 28:7 -The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.[1]
- Psalm 37:5 – Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. [2]
Following the Father’s Will Was Not Easy for Jesus
Jesus had spent three years with His disciples, and now the time had come for Him to take the most challenging step of His ministry. Jesus would journey to Jerusalem, where He would die for our sins. Luke 18:31 Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus said, “Listen, we’re going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true. 32 He will be handed over to the Romans, and he will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit upon. 33 They will flog him with a whip and kill him, but on the third day he will rise again.”[3]
Jesus knew what was ahead, yet He proceeded down this path, knowing the price he would pay to rescue us from our sins. The agony of the path that awaited Jesus was real. The day before Jesus was crucified, He prayed to His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane. Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.[4] As God’s children, we can call on the Lord to help us when the journey becomes difficult.
The Harrowing Journey is Worth It
When we choose to follow God’s path, there are rewards for persevering. Following the Lord teaches us to depend on Him as He transforms us. As children of God, we are forever thankful Jesus fulfilled His Father’s will and gave His life to rescue us. Don’t be afraid to take a step of faith, for the Lord is with you.
To learn more when following the Lord is difficult, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/weeping-amid-rejoicing
[1-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.