LIKE A GOOD SOLDIER
Often when people go on a cruise or a vacation, they want to enjoy all possible pleasures and of course, be fully pampered. For many, Christianity is viewed in the same way. Some say to God, "God, bless me! Make me prosperous and famous so that I can feel good about myself and be comfortable and have many pleasures." Though God wants you to experience pleasure, he knows the greatest pleasure is living in him and in his purpose. Because of God’s incredible love and amazing purpose, trusting him with our whole life is the most rewarding and fulfilling thing we will ever do! This will require us to trust him, even through difficult things because that is how we grow and find true fulfillment!
2 Timothy 2:3-4 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer. (NIV) Luke 14:26-27, 33 Jesus says, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. (NIV)
In this scripture, when Jesus used the word hate, he meant, to love so much less that in comparison to our love for God, it would seem like hate. God knows that true fulfillment is only found in intimate relationship with him and living in his divine purpose for our lives.
When I go to the gym, it’s rarely easy or pleasant; but I love the results that I get! If you want to live the most rewarding and fulfilling life, you, like a good soldier, must live it fully committed to God and his purpose. You can be sure, his purposes for you are going to be much more wonderful and far more important than your own purposes without him! Don’t allow the enemy to trick you into thinking that pursuing selfish pleasures will buy you true happiness. Don’t allow him to trick you into worrying about being pampered or trying to live on easy street. Only a life of discipline produces a great life!
We all go through seasons in our lives, and some of them are difficult. If you are facing one of those difficult times, embrace it, and believe God through it! A life of true significance will always include pain and sacrifice – but oh, how fulfilling and rewarding it is! I can promise you this, the greatest pleasure you will ever experience will be found when you reject the mentality living without discipline and believe God enough to, by faith, embrace the trials…