Wednesday, November 28, 2007

hard

I like Rich Mullin's song, Hard. I distrust Christian spiritual teaching or theology which seems to indicate that one can arrive to a place in this life in Jesus where it is no longer hard to follow Jesus in this life.

Of course we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And as we are more and more confirmed in obedience, we will experience more and more God's good freedom in righteousness and holiness in the Jesus way.

Yet the Jesus way is one of taking up our cross and following to the end. Did Jesus' life get any easier as he lived? I think his hardest days were toward the end as he was fulfilling the Passion, or his appointed suffering. In that Jesus is unique, yet we in Jesus too are to partake of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death in this world.

The more we in Jesus can realize we're in this together, the better. That's maybe the one missing note from Rich's song: we're in this life, in this hardness- together. Not just in the good times, but in the bad, down times as well. We need to be in there for each other. I'm glad for people who are there for me in my life. And I want to be there for others in their lives. God made it so we do need each other as we rely in faith together on our God. The fact that this aspect is hard is all too evident in our churches and in our all too often wounded or broken relationships.

What would you add to this thought? How can we be encouraged in all this?

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ted -- You have hit my life right on the head with this post. The hardness of life seems unbearable unless others help me bear it. And in letting others help me, it gives them confidence that the Lord will bring others to help them when it's time.

Real Live Preacher said...

Yes, it is community that helps us get through the hardness of following Christ.

L.L. Barkat said...

To think of growth as being able to run in a more and more challenging race (or sit in a more and more difficult place) is probably the best way to frame the Christian life. In this sense, I've always wondered about those people who accuse Christians of having faith as a "crutch". Real faith is anything but!

Halfmom, AKA, Susan said...

Amen and amen! It is, after all, a body that doesn't work well, much less efficiently, if all its parts aren't healthy and working well together!

You will find this post interesting!
http://belovedbeforetime.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

good post, ted.

well, it's "hard" to "say it all" in one song...hehe.

yes, i think that life is hard for every person. everyone has a need.

yes, i do agree that we need what God gives to us through others and we need to give to others what God wants for us to give.

this i learned after God taught me that i need Him more than anything.

i like the focus, of the need for eachother, to actually be on God. and we do need to love one another because God knows that we need it in our life through the Holy Spirit.

and in our body of flesh and blood humans often need help when there are physical or mental reasons for being unable to do it.

so spiritually, mentally, and physically there is need to show love to oneanother. all to the glory of God.

The Walk said...

Man, awesome post. I am so grateful for your blog. I really am. You teach me a lot.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Charity,
We all so much need each other, and especially in our down times and trials like you are going through.

Dear sister, I hope this day was a blessing to you, and I continue to pray for God's healing and grace to you.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Amen, Real Live Preacher. Thanks for that.

Ted M. Gossard said...

L.L.,
Great point. And well expressed. Yes, I've thought similarly on this. Faith in Christ is needed for life, but it takes us to a place we would never go or even want to go in and of ourselves.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Halfmom, AKA, Susan,
Yes, that body analogy is powerful. To think that we as God's people are to function like that- together, in sync, and helping each other as needed. This is why we're so lost if we stay to ourselves. We truly need each other, under our Head, Christ.

And yes, I was over there!

Ted M. Gossard said...

Nancy,
Yes. We do need to be there for each other, whatever our needs are. That is a part of loving each other as God in Christ loves us. We're all in this together as we seek to live out this life in Christ in this world.

Thanks!

Ted M. Gossard said...

The Walk,
Thanks so much for your very encouraging words. I am a simple learner myself, and I learn so much from others when blogging myself. I like your blog and sharing on it, as well.

Anonymous said...

also, i think that there is a deep down need to be needed, we are a part of a body that is connected because of the Holy Spirit living in us. and the Holy Spirit living in us connects us to God. and so i is also we. and in our hearts we know this. and our relationship to God is our personal relationship, but, it feeds into the body.

Anonymous said...

you not only teach, you cause one to think.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Nancy,
"And I is also we." I like that, Nancy. And thanks for your most kind words. We all need each other, in Jesus.