“Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”
2 Cor. 4:10, ESV
Somebody has been pulling your leg! There isn’t any provision added to your contract with the Father that releases you from “any pain or duress while acting as a disciple while in this dark world.” This “rider clause” doesn’t work, it has no validity or legal precedent–it simply is not true.
Not everyone agrees with me on this point. But becoming a saint is not an automatic or a painless process. Discipleship is like being mashed until you are soft and gracious inside, and that my friend, takes a lot of time and tears, in equal proportions. Painless Christianity and spontaneous sainthood is definitely fiction. It is a lie, and a crooked one at that.
Just pour a little water on it, and presto-chango! And stand back and watch it grow.
Perhaps our “hi-tech” culture gives us false expectations. We have the microwave, high-def TV, fast food places and the computer/internet (my fave.) I guess that I’m trying to say is that we think that there is a corresponding effect into spiritual things. But there isn’t.
Spiritual growth or discipleship is a definite growth process. The incredible redwood forests of Northern California where all once tiny, vulnerable seeds. But something happened! They grew and grew. It took centuries to attain their amazing heights. We see them in the present, the “now” –and never what they used to be.
Unquestionably, the life-giving, Holy Spirit can accelerate growth. But the standard set in the Word is more like “slow and steady.” Even God’s favorites in scripture had periods of waiting and testing. I suppose that’s where faith comes in to play. All too often we look for a formula when we should be seeking an obedience. (But honestly, formulas are fun– and nice, and clean and quick.)
Formula-istic faith isn’t really real, we just insist that it has to be. But the Father has different plans for raising his children. No shortcuts or detours, we walk through the floods and then we take a lap (or two) through the fire (my theory, this is to dry us off after the floods, lol.) Otherwise, he would have to write an apology to the martyrs that came before us.
But I beg, and plead for you, to accept the real terms of your discipleship. You will only fool yourself if you think instant is better then real. But to accept the foolish may seem to be faith to some; but to walk through the darkness with just a candle takes real faith. I’m not a “palm reader,” but I predict you are going to face hard times and challenges that will “rock your world.”
“Paul and Barnabas preached the good news in Derbe and won some people to the Lord. Then they went back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch in Pisidia. 22 They encouraged the followers and begged them to remain faithful. They told them, “We have to suffer a lot before we can get into God’s kingdom.”
Acts 14:21-22, CEV
Wendy & Mary—Instant Breakfast
Broken Believers 
I like that you re-read your message. :) God using you on you. And me too! Thank you!
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Bryan, Jesus did say we would have troubles in this world. Sometimes I like to think I’ve already had my share, and anyone who knew all I’d been through might agree. But I suspect that there are more ahead, that there is more training, more floods and fires to go through because I’m not yet fully refined to be the person He wants me to be. That I do know. Thanks for sharing this. Peace, Linda
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I operated with the idea I had acheived “a saturation point,” I had accumilated enough trials and misery–my fair share! I told some pastor friends this and they were ROFL.
I must remind myself of Jesus, and I then think of the verse in Hebrews– “You not resisted to the shedding of blood.” I guess I haven’t, and that there is a bigger margin of suffering/trial then I thought.
ybic, Bryan
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Needed that reminder today.
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I re-read it this morning. I needed it as well.
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