IF I’M FOLLOWING GOD, WHY IS MY LIFE SO HARD??
When we turn our lives over to God it’s only natural to think things are going to get better for us. Right? We’re making better choices. We’re walking with Jesus. We’re being obedient to His will. So… why are things still so hard? And why do bad things happen to and around us?!?
Bottom line, we live in a fallen world. This is NOT heaven, (obviously,) and the ruler of this world, (the devil,) (John 12:31) prowls about like a roaring lion waiting for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) He comes to steal and kill and destroy. (John 10:10) And the thing he wants to destroy more than anything is our faith in God. (Read the book of Job. OMG!!) He wants us to think that it’s “karmic consequence.” That God is angry with us. That God can’t be trusted. That God’s like a grumpy grampa watching our every move just waiting for us to mess up so he can whack us in the head with his cane.
Obviously there ARE consequences for our actions, but when tragedy strikes or we’re suffering for no apparent reason, I do NOT believe it’s because God is punishing us. In my experience, these lies are spoken into my heart the loudest when I’ve just made a commitment to do the right thing, or when I’ve stopped a destructive habit, or am starting a GOOD one, or when something amazing is about to happen, just around the bend. It’s like these bad things are happening to try to get me to take my eyes off of God and focus on the bad instead. (Philippians 4:8)
The Bible is full of stories – both Old and New Testament – of bad things happening to good people. People who were obedient to God. More often than not, bad things happened BECAUSE they were obedient to God! At least one prophet, (probably Isaiah,) was sawn in half. (Hebrews 11:37) Jeremiah was abandoned in a dark, cold pit of muck and mire. (Jeremiah 38:6) Shadrach, Meshach & Abed-nego were thrown into a blazing furnace so hot it instantly killed the men who threw them in. (Daniel 3:17-22) Daniel was cast into a den filled with ravenous lions. (Daniel 6:16-24) Abigail was married to an arrogant fool and it nearly cost her and her entire household their lives. (1 Samuel 25:3-34)
The New Testament has even more stories of suffering saints… John and Peter were beaten and imprisoned numerous times, (Acts 5:17-41) Stephen was stoned to death by the Pharisees, (Acts 7:57-60) James was murdered by King Herod, (Acts 12:1-2) and Paul, (from whom we get the majority of the New Testament writings,) was imprisoned, whipped, beaten and stoned numerous times, shipwrecked 3 times, (even spending a night and a day in the deep!) and was very frequently exhausted without the basics of food, water, shelter and warmth. (2 Corinthians 11:24-27) Church history records that all of the original disciples, (besides Judas, of course,) were martyred for their faith, with the exception of John.
Jesus told us that in this world we WOULD have trouble. (John 16:33) He didn’t say this as a threat to his enemies. He said this to His disciples. WE. WILL. Have trouble.
Doing the right thing is hard, and sometimes doing the right thing MAKES life hard, but right after telling us we would have trouble in this world, Jesus also said to take courage, because HE has overcome the world. (John 16:33) He said He would never leave or forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:8) He is with us as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. (Psalm 23:4) And He will be with us always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)
No matter what we are going through, whether self-inflicted or not, God is with us. (Matthew 1:23) He understands what we’re going through, (Hebrews 4:15) and we can rest in Him. (Matthew 11:28) Always. He will never drive us away. (John 6:37)
AMEN!!
SCRIPTURES
John 12:31 ~ Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. (NASB)
1 Peter 5:8 ~ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (NIV)
Philippians 4:8 ~ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things. (NET)
John 10:10 ~ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. (NASB)
Hebrews 11:37 ~ They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— (NIV)
Jeremiah 38:6 ~ So the officials took Jeremiah from his cell and lowered him by ropes into an empty cistern in the prison yard. It belonged to Malkijah, a member of the royal family. There was no water in the cistern, but there was a thick layer of mud at the bottom, and Jeremiah sank down into it. (NLT)
Daniel 3:17-22 ~ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. (NLT)
Daniel 6:16-24 ~ So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions… Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”
Daniel answered, “…My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight.The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God. Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions’ den… and… the lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den. (NLT)
1 Samuel 25:3-34 ~ Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved; he was a Calebite….. When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand! For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.” (ESV)
Acts 5:17-41 ~ But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison… and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. (ESV)
Acts 7:57-60 ~ But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse. When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep. (NASB)
Acts 12:1-2 ~ About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword. (NLT)
2 Corinthians 11:24-27 ~ Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with a rod. Once I received a stoning. Three times I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I spent adrift in the open sea. I have been on journeys many times, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers from false brothers, in hard work and toil, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, many times without food, in cold and without enough clothing. (NET)
John 16:33 ~ I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (NIV)
Deuteronomy 31:8 ~ It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. (ESV)
Psalm 23:4 ~ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (KJV)
Matthew 28:20 ~ And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (NET)
Matthew 1:23 ~ Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us. (NLT)
Hebrews 4:15 ~ For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses… (NASB)
Matthew 11:28 ~ Come to Me, all [a]who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. (NASB)
John 6:37 ~ …whoever comes to me I will never drive away. (NIV)