Comfortable life

 Arnie Cole

The life of a Christ Follower involves suffering and self-denial, if you and I truly believe Romans 8:17 and Luke 14:27. To be co-heirs with Christ includes expecting to suffer with Him. What else can “carry your own cross and follow me” mean?

I present this challenge because of our research on the spiritual lives of hundreds of thousands of people who claim the name of Jesus, but also a "comfortable Christianity." Their responses reveal how comfort takes precedence over a genuine relationship with God. The data suggests that when comfort is pretty much the main focus, the degree of spiritual struggle in life relates more to maintaining comfort than anything else. 

The problem of focusing on comfort—it can limit one's spiritual growth and completely inhibit or extinguish any kind of stepping out in faith. And stepping out in faith is exactly what it takes to evangelize and disciple others. You see the Holy Spirit’s opportunity, you take the big breath, and then leap out in faith to start the conversation. Uncomfortable sure, but so worth taking the risk!

Focusing on comfort to determine God’s will makes us more vulnerable to Satan. His deception might involve making a person believe that they are being blessed or that blessing is being withheld—either are Satan’s trap to take you away from God and truly discovering God’s will.

Jesus gave us the perfect example. He knew exactly what was ahead as He and the disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray that last evening together—the world’s sin He would pay for, beatings, flogging, mocking, spitting, and the torture of crucifixion. And yet, He prayed for God’s will and not His. Read and imagine with me:

 “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will’” (Matthew 26:39).

“He went away a second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done’” (Matthew 26:42).

“So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing” (Matthew 26:44).

Matthew Henry’s commentary adds: “He put himself into this agony, before his enemies gave him any trouble, to show that he was a freewill offering; that his life was not forced from him, but he laid it down of himself.”

Can you imagine what a tremendous weight to bear—what agony it truly must have been?

Jesus chose God’s will and walked that path alone on behalf of all of us. As I was reading, I was glad that God sent Jesus an angel to strengthen Him beforehand. We can learn from this that God might not make the situation disappear when we’re in tough circumstances, but He’ll give us much-needed strength and help along the way.

Most of us tend to forget, because we are so focused on being a “comfortable Christ Follower,” that God is still in the business of strengthening His people carrying out His will no matter what the cost. Whatever circumstance we may face, we can cry out to God knowing He will hear us, answer our prayers, and send us the strength to endure.

Please respond and tell me How often you have had a Garden of Gethsemane prayer experience. Plus, please share your insight on how you determine if comfort has crept in—determining if something is God’s will or not?

 

Onward together,

 

–Arnie