Why Living The Christian Life Is Difficult

Even writing about this topic is really difficult. Being In China for past 1 month has been hectic for me – trying to adjust. But I am glad to be back again to writing. As at April 2018, I started my journey to getting my masters degree in China. So yeah that’s it. Alright, let’s get on with why you clicked on my link. 

When you start loving something, you are happy doing it. We are happy growing in Christ. From left we have Valentine (Ugandan), Isaac (Zambian) and Me – Gentle_George ( Nigerian). Who is more African?

I have had friends whom when I try leading to Christ, find it difficult to surrender their lives to Christ (even though they go to church like many do). They are born into Christian families like many are. Hence, Christianity is more like a family tradition to them. Do you know the popular excuse they give (which I believe is sincere)? Here is what one had to say. 

” My dear, it is not like I don’t know the urgency of this invitation, I am just not ready for the Christian life. I have to make sure I can stop these things I do now , so I don’t become a hypocritical Christian. I don’t want to offend God”

Now, you would agree with me that even if you are genuinely saved by his Grace and not by works, that you still sin – study 1 John 1 . In fact, every Christian sins. This friend is honestly not intended to be a hypocrite like most Christians like me are sometimes – even without knowing. But what is unknown to this friend is that no Christian lives the Christian life in his own strength. Christians work out their salvation as they allow God express his life through them. So in the real sense, there is no works of our own except what we allow him to do from our spirit through our soul ( mind, will and emotions). We come to him as we are. 

You could find my Temptation Story mind changing of  how I still had addictions secretly but was a leader in church. 

Even as I type this particular post – as it comes from my thoughts, I just lied about the statement by a friend . It wasn’t actually said by just one person, but is a collection of things I have heard people say to me In my course of winning souls. But because I want to pass a message without too many stories, I summarized it that way. And just in case you were about to pass judgement on me, I just obeyed the verse of scripture that says we should confess our sins to one another… – writer smiles 

So why is it difficult to live the Christian life? 

The answer is simple. It is difficult because we feel we earn special favours from our works. So it is difficult because we keep “trying” instead of “allowing” him to work through us. Until we have a relationship with him, we might be more distant from him even in our zealousness. Reflect about the visit of Jesus Christ Mary and Mary Magdalene.

I have come to realise that there is such a thing as Living The Christian Life and Obeying The Christian Life. Every sincere believer knows that they grew from religion to relationship. You get into something new, you start practicing it and eventually, you start loving it. But until you start loving it, you are yet to have a relationship. 

You live the life you love not the life you obey.

Both attitudes are pleasing to God because they are birthed from a loving Heart. But there exist a religious life which does not come from loving God. It is  from fulfilling traditions without attaching any significance to them. Thus, it is not from the heart – I do not refer to this kind of religiousity.

You have to understand this statement –

You cannot term what you do as obedience if you like to do it. 

Take a moment to reflect on that statement. My teacher Prophet Sadhu Sunder Selvaraj made this statement sometime ago and it really beared witness in my spirit. Abraham definitely wouldn’t like to kill his son. Moses didn’t want to be sent to Egypt. Even Jesus prayed if the cup could pass over him. But they all obeyed out of Love. 

Just like the rich man obeyed the prophet and dipped himself in water 7x – when he never liked it, we are assured of rewards for obedience. 

Living the Christian life is not obedience. It is a nature. You don’t think of obedience while taking your bath or brushing your teeth. But you first had to obey your mum and dad till it became part of you.
If like me, you don’t like going to church, but you decide to obey God by not forsaking the gathering of believers,  it is because you love him.  You don’t like it naturally, but you do it. That is obedience. 

Overtime, you begin to love being in church (if you are in the right community of Grace minded believers) and it wouldn’t be an act of obedience but your very life. 

But the most important factor is having that personal fellowship with God. That is when you grow from obeying him to actually living like him. I may not really quote scriptures (as most people rarely check through anyway ) since this is a spontaneous insight I got from meditation. But I feel you might be familiar with the references I made. Kindly comment below if you need me to expound more on something. 

I love you.