The other day, I was driving into downtown Atlanta to spend the night at my brother's. It was four o'clock on a rainy, dreary Friday afternoon, which, for those of you who don't live near Atlanta, translates into a traffic nightmare. It was bumper-to-bumper traffic almost the entire time, complete with angry hand motions, excessive use of honking and belligerent drivers who refused to let anyone change lanes. Basically, it was miserable. I was frustrated, and my patience level was reaching an all-time low. I'll admit, I was thinking some less-than-Christian thoughts about my fellow drivers.
Then, as I came up over a hill on the highway, the sun broke through the clouds, and I could see the Atlanta skyline. It was a breathtaking picture—golden rays of sunlight reaching down from the gray-white clouds, the skyscrapers surrounded by a hazy blue-silver glow, their windows reflecting little flecks of light in the distance. And suddenly, I remembered why I was struggling through this miserable Friday afternoon traffic, dealing with aggressive drivers and an unnecessary amount of honking. It was to get to that gorgeous skyline.
In the same way, it’s easy for Christians to lose sight of why we’re toiling away for God. When we’re dealing with people who angrily challenge our beliefs, our own sinful shortcomings, and the general stresses and conflicts of life, it’s easy to put God in the backseat, instead of behind the wheel. So here are five things every Christian needs to remember when life seems to be getting in the way of God.
1. People aren't always going to agree with your beliefs.
As Christians, we are called to be countercultural. We are called to engage with our culture but not to become one with it. In John 15:19, Jesus tells us that we "do not belong to the world" but that he has "chosen [us] out of the world." Because of this, he goes on to explain, the world will come to hate us. As Christians, we follow the path less traveled, and as a result of this, our beliefs are going to be contrary to those of wider society. People are going to disagree with you. People are going to challenge your beliefs, or be offended that you follow Jesus, or attack your position on certain behaviors that you consider sinful. The key is to remember that there are millions—billions—of other Christians who are there to support you, who believe just like you do, who have found Jesus in their lives just like you have. And even if you feel totally alone, even if you feel like your fellow Christians aren't there for you, you have someone even more amazing waiting for you to collapse into His open arms—Jesus Christ. He never said that it would be easy, but He tells us that when people persecute us on Earth, we are infinitely more blessed in Heaven. Jesus knows it's going to be hard—he experienced human life firsthand. So, when people are at your throat saying that you're wrong and Jesus doesn't exist, remember Him, and don't be afraid to let go and let God.
2. There are going to be times when you feel like God isn't there.
Every Christian, no matter how great or small, has experienced crises of faith, times where it feels like God just isn't there and isn't listening—maybe it even feels like He doesn't exist. But He is. Maybe He's not giving you the answer you want because He has a better plan for you; after all, in Jeremiah 29:11, He tells us that He has "plans to prosper [us] and not to harm [us], plans to give [us] hope and a future." Another possibility is that He is trying to answer you, but you're not recognizing His answer in your life. If you're praying for a way to deal with some colleagues at your job and someone new joins the team, that person could be your godsend (literally). Or if you ask for His help with a test and end up doing poorly, He could be encouraging you to learn from your mistakes for the exam at the end of the semester. God does listen, and He does answer our prayers, just maybe not in the way that we expect. Don't lose hope just because it feels like He isn't there. The Bible assures us that He is.
3. You are going to screw up. Repeatedly.
Whatever your pastor or preacher says, you're going to sin. No matter how many times we're told that sin separates us from God, and sin is bad, and don't sin, we all still sin. That's why Jesus came down to Earth. If we could have been perfect by ourselves, He would never have died on the cross. We are called to strive for perfection, but we also need to recognize that we will not meet that standard. Everyone sins on a daily basis; that's just how humans are wired, thanks to Original Sin. The closer we grow to Jesus, the easier it will be to deal with temptation, but temptations will always be there. Recognizing that you will sin and viewing a lapse in judgment as a learning opportunity as opposed to just another failure is the best way to avoid feeling frustrated with yourself and to keep moving forward in your relationship with Jesus.
4. You will be a hypocrite.
One of the biggest complaints you'll hear about Christians is how hypocritical they are. And you know what? This particular criticism is 100 percent accurate. We go out and preach against the sinful behaviors we see in the world—and, at the same time, we are probably engaging in many of the same sinful behaviors we advise others to avoid. That doesn't mean that all Christians should stop telling people about God or refrain from speaking out against sin. If someone with lung cancer came up to you and told you not to smoke, his personal testimony would be the biggest deterrent; after all, he's the one with lung cancer as a result of smoking. Is he technically a hypocrite? Yes. But that doesn't mean that his advice to avoid smoking is suddenly invalid. In the same way, Christians are called to speak out against sin. Humbly recognizing and admitting to your own shortcomings, particularly when preaching about sin, is the key to avoiding hypocrisy like that of the Pharisees. In fact, admitting that you struggle with certain sins can strengthen your testimony—you can use examples from your own life as proof of the damaging effects of sin, just like the hypothetical man with lung cancer. Use your inevitable hypocrisy to your advantage.
5. You have eternal life waiting for you in Heaven.
Sometimes it feels like we're struggling for nothing. We're fighting off earthly pleasures on a daily basis, all in pursuit of some being that we can't even see or touch. It's easy to lose sight of God or what first drew you to Jesus Christ. So remember: Your happiness is not here on Earth. You will not find perfect happiness on Earth. Instead, you can lead a fulfilling life in pursuit of God and find eternal, perfect happiness in Heaven. It won't always be easy, and there will definitely be times where you'll be tempted to completely remove God from your life. But in these moments, remember that the Earth is only our temporary home. Our eternal home is in Heaven with God, and according to John 14:2-4, the place God has prepared for those who love Him is beyond anything we can even imagine. So don't lose hope just because life on Earth can be frustrating. Don't focus on the traffic going into the city; focus on that beautiful skyline and the promise of something more. We are called to eternal life in Heaven, not a happy life here on Earth. And as hard as it seems to struggle through the day to day, look ahead and remember that you have a whole new life waiting for you beyond.
