EXODUS 13:17-18-When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle.”

I was in a conversation recently with another Christian and jokingly I said, “You know what I want? A Christian life full of constant joy, always representing Christ and influencing people for Him.” I then added, “And I want all of that without a second of suffering, free of trials, without pain and relatively effortless.” I saw the smile looking back at me with a one word reply, “heaven.”

If we are going to make a difference in our families, churches, and communities, then stand by for a heavy dose of difficulties in our lives. There is a reason why our Lord Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few”(Matthew 7:13-14). There is also a reason why the Apostle Paul when discipling young believers said, “When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:21-22).The reason why our Lord and Paul would say those serious words are because the Christian life will not be easy, will contain much pain, and be full of difficulties. Why? That is how God ordained it to be. And for our soul’s sake, if we are not encountering much struggle in living a Biblically-defined Christian life, we need to find out why because the evidence is we are not living a Biblically-defined Christian life.

As we look to the scripture of the day, we see behind the “why” God has ordained our journey to heaven will be difficult. There is a wonderful illustration of how God guides His people, and it isn’t on the easy path but through a wilderness path of difficulties. Here is the scene. Pharaoh has finally given up and the Israelites are leaving Egypt. As God leads them away, He ensures it won’t be on the path that is near and easy. No. He wouldn’t let them travel on easy street. Instead He guides them through the wilderness. Why not make it easy? Two reasons and they apply to us today.

First, God knows we are prone to ease and comfort .If He made the Christian life easy, we would forget Him and drift into complacency. And that is largely what is happening in the church today. We have grown apathetic. Life in the west has been easy. God may indeed be guiding us through a wilderness this past year or so to get us back on the straight and narrow.

Another reason why God makes the path to heaven a wilderness is to get us to truly trust in Him. Unless we encounter difficulties and situations above our heads and ability to handle on our own, our trust in God will be more profession, not practice. He loves us too much to allow that so say, “Hello” to the difficult Christian life.

So, our path to heaven is hard. It is supposed to be so don’t complain, rejoice we are on the path by God’s wonderful grace.

PRAYER: “Father, forgive me when I want comfort in life rather than conformity to Your Son and live in spiritual apathy.”

QUOTE: “If we are looking to live for Christ, there is only one way, and it won’t be our way or the easy way.”