Some want to paint a picture of a very materially prosperous life with every single material, emotional, vocational and social issue neatly covered because you have it made.
That is not the picture painted by Jesus. For some great suffering will be involved. For some hardship will be involved. For some rejection and betrayal will be on the menu. For some losing close loved ones will be something to deal with. For all who choose to follow Him there will be an element of struggle and a great need for perseverance.
It will not always be pretty, the sun will not always appear to shine.
Yet.
There is a great reality in knowing that the peace and joy you get from following Jesus points to something better up ahead and the more you follow Him and learn to fellowship with Him and the saints, the better it gets. There are moments of experiencing that unspeakable joy that is inexpressible and afterwards you don’t think it could get much better than that. But through the pains of the struggle you discover that it actually does get much better as you intentionally devote yourself to Him.
Sure others may not understand it. Others might laugh and call you delusional. Some will even think you’re crazy. They’re entitled to that. It’s not your loss, though. It’s your gain to develop and continue to to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ and see for yourself that when life is lived in Him, by Him and through Him there’s no doubt that as good as it may be at the time, you know …
It gets better.
(Photo by Terry Tan De Hao on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 