Embracing the Hardships

“We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22

Holiness is no easy goal to reach; it requires pain and hardship only to prod us to rest completely on God and, in so doing, honor Him as He deserves.

I just got out of a Torrey session on St. Athanasius (it’s okay, I didn’t know how to pronounce it either). Once again, I am in awe and so thankful to be a part of a program where my homework actually provokes the discovery of Truth and my education, therefore, brings me closer to God. After reading Athanasius’ book, I am just struck with a feeling of, well, I guess its awe. Seeing what God has done through His Word, getting a clearer picture of how Christ destroyed death to give us life in Him, pondering that He took care of our corruption once and for all… how can we not praise Him? How can we refuse to glorify Him as Lord? How can we not thank Him? I know that I often forget His goodness and power and that I will continue to overlook it in the future. But I also know that what is most important is the glorification of His name whether I do it or not. God will be praised in the end, I am sure of it. I can forget or refuse to do so, but He will be praised and His praise is the only thing worth living for. Thus, to forget or reject it is to live, once again, in non-existence – to accept death and let it have control over you rather than God. What a sorry life… in fact, that is not life, but non-life. I guess my main point is that God deserves glory and that He will have His glory. I can choose whatever I want, but anything aside from His glory only puts me under authority of death. My choice is Life. Life will include hardships, as Scripture affirms. But the hardships are more than just a “part of life;” they are prodding, so to say, to bring us to Holiness and, in that Holiness, to glorify the Lord. If we didn’t have hardships, we wouldn’t have teachings and we wouldn’t be growing. I want to grow. I want holiness. Does seeking holiness necessarily require discipline? Is that what I’m signing up for? If I want to grow in my relationship with Christ, does that mean that I have to, by necessity, endure hardships?

If hardships/discipline makes me holy, oh Jesus please bring it on by all means. Yes, this is what I want, I’m sure of it. Keep teaching me, Jesus… keep stretching. Let me learn that I might glorify you. That’s where the focus deserves to stand.