This blog unpacks Pastor Lee’s sermon from the Church in the Wild series on June 23, 2024: What is Your Perspective?

MYTH: life becomes easier once we start following Jesus.

TRUTH: life certainly becomes sweeter, and God has GREAT plans for us, but our suffering will deepen.

At some point in our lives, we’ve been sold this idea that once we surrender to Jesus, our lives will become easy: we’ll remain debt free, never face tragedy, be continuously blessed, and it’ll be sunshine and rainbows.

Wrong.

Does Jesus have the power to help break our chains and free us from the hardships of our sin nature? Absolutely. But, being in pursuit of Jesus means that we will always face persecution. One form of suffering is traded for another, but with two greatly differing purposes: one where we’re dead in our sin and another where we are living for eternity.

When we approach the Gospel with a mentality that searches for benefit over relationship, we will fall into the lie of the myth. In the day and age we live in, we often approach situations with a “what’s in it for me” mentality. What am I getting out of it? How will this save me?

If we’re living in a world where the Devil is working overtime and we’re still comfortable, something isn’t adding up. Following Jesus should feel uncomfortable in a society that tries to make sin comfortable.

If we continue to approach our faith like an exchange, we practice a self-centered faith. Our faith is NOT designed to be self-centered. When Jesus came down to earth and took on flesh just to sacrifice His body, He performed the ultimate act of selflessness.

How selfish would it be to look at the cross and not choose to lay down our lives for him?

We don't come into the Kingdom for the benefits. We come to enter into relationship with the most high King because Jesus paid it all.

In 2 Corinthians 4:17 ESV, Paul writes, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.”

Do you hear those words?

Momentary affliction.

Just a moment.

Paul had the ability to look beyond his current suffering with spiritual maturity to know that his temporary circumstances could not outweigh his eternal glory.

Can we put that mindset on for a moment? Whatever circumstance you’re going through, pain you’re experiencing, trials you’re enduring—how does it compare to the sacrifice of the Blood?

It doesn’t mean that your battles are not real.

Hardships are real.

Suffering is real.

Attacks from the Devil are real.

But God’s faithfulness endures far longer than any hardship will last.

Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24 ESV).

Will you live for the moment and let your affliction turn to waste, or will you take up your cross and turn your moment into eternity?