Christianity is hard
In Jesus, weary souls find their rest. But what does that even mean?
Christianity is hard.
I’m not the only one who thinks so.
Consider G.K. Chesterton’s words, from his book What’s Wrong with the World:
“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”
These words have resonated deep in my mind since I first read them, clanging church bells echoing in a quiet city street.
They are true.
C.S. Lewis joins in with a similar sentiment:
“I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.”
What are Chesterton and Lewis trying to say here?
Both men were faithful Christians when they wrote these words. Both have achieved saintlike status because of their great contributions to theology, philosophy, and literature. Both are remembered for their steadfastness…and both found Christianity difficult.
As expected, they’re both onto something.
Life is hard
Do you need any convincing?
I could spend some time here listing statistics about depression and anxiety or reminding you of wars and violence and political upheaval at home and abroad, but honestly, I’m bumming myself out thinking about it.
And that’s really the point I’m trying to make here: life is already hard enough without all the other cares of the world piled on top of today’s concerns. My bills need to be paid, my taxes need to be done, my laundry needs to be washed, my dishwasher needs to be unloaded (and reloaded, and unloaded, and reloaded, and….).
People I love are sick and hurting. The entire world is sick and hurting. It’s all so heavy, far too much for any one person to carry alone.
Jesus makes it easier
That is—too much for any one merely human person.
As Chesterton’s words ring in my ears, they’re answered by the claims of Jesus:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
In Jesus, weary souls find their rest. But what does that even mean?
I’ll answer with an anecdote, because I don’t think this makes much sense until you experience it. A few weeks ago, I got less-than-ideal news about a work situation. It wasn’t anything detrimental, but it was definitely a disappointment substantial enough to impact my mood.
After I processed the letdown, though, I immediately realized how grateful I am for the peace and comfort of Christ. So, things didn’t go my way—that stinks. Truly. But…I am confident in the path God is leading me on. I can rest in the knowledge that I am not just a number on a spreadsheet to the Creator of the Universe; I am his beloved child, who he knows by name, inside and out, forward and back. I may be disappointed right now, but I am not forgotten and I am far from alone. (This is true for you, too.)
Jesus naps while the storm rages, not because he doesn’t care, but because he has nothing to fear. I can take refuge in him.
There’s nothing you need to achieve, no interview to complete, no test to pass to be able to enter this rest.
That’s what Jesus is saying: that once you become a worker in his service, you’ll find that the load really isn’t too much to bear. As I say here often, he’s done the hardest thing and defeated the last enemy—death—once and for all. Our work now is to rest in his eternal victory.
But it’s still not easy
The Christian life can’t be lived on autopilot, though.
Here’s the tension again—why those heroes of the faith didn’t shy away from calling it “difficult” and “uncomfortable.”
Christ has done the hardest work, and he’s given the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us into holiness, but there’s a reason that circumcision is the metaphor we see used over and over again throughout scripture.
It’s painful! It’s personal! It requires us to face the most private, hidden, secret parts of ourselves honestly; to surrender those things to God and allow him to transform us from the inside out.
And while adoption into the family of God may happen in an instant, the process of conforming your will to his that follows is slow-going and lifelong.
Some parts move more slowly than others. Right now, God is teaching me patience, trust, and endurance. It is, quite frankly, not fun.
But, it is worth it. It is meaningful. Though difficult, it is a source of joy and peace. Because I am secure in my standing before God, I am able to serve him with confidence and vigor.
I may grow tired, but never weary. I may lack courage, but I never despair. I may doubt, but I’m spared the freefall into fear and uncertainty.
“The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
when he delights in his way;
though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the LORD upholds his hand.”Psalm 37:23-24
“Choose your hard”
The self-help gurus occasionally get it right.
I don’t know who said it first, but somewhere in my internet browsing I ran across a quote that said something along the lines of: “Marriage is hard. Divorce is hard. Choose your hard. Being financially stable is hard. Being in debt is hard. Choose your hard.”
And so on, and so forth…you get the idea. And while the internet is full of motivational quotes that float in one ear and out the other without making much impact on the brain matter in between, this one stuck with me.
The Christian life is hard. There are spiritual disciplines to commit to, daily battles against sin, the continual call to surrender every part of yourself in submission to Christ, no matter what else is going on in life, to contend with.
But life outside of Christ is so much harder. In Christ, there is no shortage of peace and comfort; no dilution of joy and love. His love for you is perfect, complete, and unending. It’s a river that runs deeper than the empty promises of “health, wealth, and happiness” that are advertised on every screen, a mountain that braces against the storms of life and remains steadfast, unscathed.
His hands are open. The invitation is for you. He has overcome the world, and you don’t have to.
From the archives:
This list of book recommendations might be getting a refresh soon, but I still stand by the volumes I included nearly two years ago:
4 books I think you should read
Buckle up, because you might not be ready to hear this, but we just passed the halfway mark for 2023. If you’re like me, that means you’re reflecting a bit on what the first half of this year has brought.
A visual reminder:
