dont understand

[guest]

i don't get the christian life sometimes. I've been saved for about 10 years now. when i first got saved it was amazing. i was truly free and alive in Christ. i was consumed by Him. Things did get better. i was in the worst possible place in my life but that didn't matter because i had Christ. he saved me when everyone else had given up on me. with that being said , the last two years of my life have been hell. everything crashed around me. for a while God taught me so much through this season. its crazy though, about the last year I've been dead. i have no real interest to read the bible (use to read about 5 hours a day). don't feel like praying. all the sudden going to church is a war. to be honest being around christians period has been hard. i will say this, sin is still not the same. God speaks to my heart daily. I know right and wrong. its almost like i just say what ever nowadays. it breaks my heart when i hear testimonies about peoples marriages and life's getting so better since coming to Christ. its almost like Christ has always let all hell break loose on my life. the lessons i have learned hurt. i really dont know what God is trying to show me but sometimes i wish it was a little easier. its like God is breaking me. i just dont understand. i know you probably wont have a answer for this. i just want u and other christians to know that people are hurting. im hurting. its hard to get back. but anyway if there is any light you could shed on the subject i would be grateful.

[Mike Miller]

Friend, I'm afraid you might be the victim of an image of the Christian life that is distinctively American. Too often in American evangelicalism, a portrait is painted of the Christian life that is filled with light and happiness. The Bible, however, never shows the life of a Christian like that. In the Bible, God's people continually faced difficulty, and in the very real modern-day world the same is true. Unfortunately, too often American Christians put on masks and smile a lot on Sundays, giving the impression that all is well. The reality, however, is frequently much different.

You see, the Bible never promises that if you become a Christian, your marriage will be great and you'll always have plenty of money in the bank. The Bible also never gives the impression that maintaining spiritual disciplines (i.e., reading the Bible, praying, fasting, etc.) will always be easy and enjoyable. The Christian life is tough. It is war. In the Old Testament, read about Abraham and Moses and Joseph and David. In the New Testament, read about Paul and Timothy and the early church. Read about Jesus. Take a look at Hebrews 11, which talks about the spiritual giants of the faith and how many of them--our heroes--suffered mightily, even at times to the point of death. Then read some church history. Read about Martin Luther and William Carey and John G. Paton and David Brainerd and Jonathan Edwards and Charles Spurgeon and C. S. Lewis (you can find many short biographies here: www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/biographies/by-title ). You will find that the Christians we admire the most suffered great hardship, including health problems, the loss of loved ones, deep depression, financial woes, and even early death. Yet they persevered because they found that Jesus is to be treasured above all earthly things.

I know this might not sound encouraging, but it should be. If we have expectations of the Christian life that are unrealistic, then we will find misery in the Christian life. However, if our expectations are biblical, we can find joy and peace. If we expect trouble and hardship and at the same time a God who is a perfect father and a savior who is a faithful friend, then we can know the true Christian life. Then we can say with Paul that we "consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18).

Please know that I am not trying to make light of your pain. Nor am I trying to imply that you shouldn't feel pain. I just want you to know that Jesus never promised the absence of pain. I am grieving with you right now and praying for relief for you. As a pastor, I am well aware of the amount of pain that Christians experience, as I'm confronted with it daily. My own life has had (and will have) difficulties and heartbreaks. My desire is that you find your hope and strength in Jesus and not in your circumstances. He is your only hope. Cry out to Him day and night. Pour out your heart to Him. Cling to Him with whatever strength you have, then plead with Him for more strength to carry on. I am convinced that you will find Him faithful and sufficient. And please know that you can come to me any time for counsel or prayer or a sympathetic ear.

One more thing. My friend Joe McKeever just wrote a piece on his blog about persevering through the difficult times. You can find it here: www.joemckeever.com/mt/archives/001723.html