Originally posted 1/16/24
Recently, I spent a sleepless night wrestling with things that had happened during the day. I knew when I went to bed that sleep would not come easily. I prayed as I often do when I cannot sleep. Unfortunately, sleep still did not come. I replayed the events of the day, trying to figure out if I had sinned or stepped out of God’s will in some way preventing sleep. What was God trying to get me to see? A quick perusal of Facebook would certainly do the trick. When that didn’t work, I finished the book I was reading. Still sleep eluded me. As a last resort, I sent a text to a dear friend hoping that if I got some things off my chest I would be able to sleep. The wonderful thing about texting a close friend in the middle of the night is that sometimes she happens to also be awake. I wasn’t expecting to have a conversation at 2 am, but it was just what I needed. She was also unable to sleep. Are two friends being unable to sleep the same night a coincidence? I do not think so. It was a God thing. She was awake just so she was available to talk.
One of the things that she said to me during our late-night conversation resonated with me. She reminded me that sometimes following Jesus is difficult. The one thing I didn’t doubt was that I was doing what God wanted me to do. Do you ever wonder how you can be in the center of God’s will and it still be difficult?
Scripture answers that very question. We should expect trials when we follow Jesus. James 1:2 tells us, ”Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,” Notice that it does not say “if” we meet trials. None of us like trials, but they are a part of life. I am reminded of Lynn Anderson’s song, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. Growing up that was a favorite song to quote. I can still hear my mother saying that life was not fair. Neither of them are Biblical answers, but they do resonate. When we become Christians, we don’t often have a clue what it means to follow Jesus. It reminded me of the book, It Will Cost You Everything: What it Takes to Follow Jesus by Steven Lawson. If you haven’t read it, you definitely should.
When we begin following Jesus, few of us understand what that means. We are not the wise man from scripture who calculated the cost before he began. Luke 14:28-30 says, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’”
Lawson states in his book, “Salvation comes to us as a free gift. The days after may cost us everything. Lawson also says, “What does it cost to be a disciple of Christ? It will cost you holding onto your self-righteousness. It will cost you cherishing your sin. It will cost you the control of your life. It will cost you the pursuit of the world”. p. 67 Would we have followed had we known?
“Following Christ will cost you much. It will cost you your old way of life and forgetting your past sins. It will cost you a life of ease and living for this world. It will cost you old habits and old associations. It will cost you following your own agenda for your life. It will cost you time and treasure. It will cost you suffering for being identified with Him. It will cost you opposition and persecution from the world. It may even cost you your life. But in the end, you gain far more than you lost. ” Lawson, p. 14
Of all the things I have given up, nothing compares to the gift I was given. This girl is stubborn and has to learn things the hard way. God’s way is truly best. “You must be willing to follow God’s will. You have to count the cost of letting go of your own will for His will.” Lawson, p 67
I don’t understand why the lives of some people are easier than others. Some experience great hardship while others lead a seemingly blessed life. My sleepless night friend has had a much more difficult life than I have. She has lived through so many heartbreaks. Heartbreaking events have the possibility of either making you bitter or drawing you closer to the Lord. My friend has found a sweetness with the Lord that we should all want. She will be the first one to say that it’s only because of the Lord that she is where she is today.
The Lord tells us to expect trouble and trials. The one thing that I do know for sure is that the Lord is sovereign. Nothing catches our Lord by surprise. Nothing happens in our life that has not already passed through the hands of God. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” God doesn’t promise an easy life. In fact he tells us it’s just the opposite, but He does work all things out for our good. Even if we never understand it fully.
“Salvation is offered to us as a free gift. But receiving it always comes at a high price. There are no exceptions to this truth. Granted, the sacrifice required for our faith in Christ will differ from one person to the next. The price to be paid for following Christ is higher for some than for others. We are born into different families, in different places, and at different times in history. But there will always be a price to pay to come after Jesus.” Lawson p. 63
My life might have been easier that one sleepless night had I not been following God’s direction. What would I have missed had I chosen to ignore the Holy Spirit that day and do things my way? Would I have slept any better? Would my friend have slept that night? God intended for us to both be awake that night to talk to one another. I probably would have lain awake regretting ignoring God’s prompting. One thing I have learned is that there is no better place than the center of God’s will. Sometimes it will be hard. Even in the hard times, I will choose to follow Jesus. Will you?
#faith, #Bible, #Scriptures, #Christian Women, #Discipleship,