Following Christ: not a bed of Roses

ACTS 9:20-29

God transforms our lives and He also helps us to become a medium of blessing to others by helping them change for the better. But often, when new believers come to Christ a false doctrine is propagated that, now your life is going to be great, free of troubles and stress and you will have nothing to worry about. It’s true that when God is there by our side, we don’t have to worry anymore because He cares for us and He watches over us. However the most essential aspect about the walk with the Lord is that there will be opposition from unexpected quarters. We all expect great blessings from God when we walk with Christ as the shepherd in our lives, but what we do not take into account is that there will also be struggles when we choose to do what God wants us to do. Life with Christ is not a bed of roses. God gives us the grace to overcome all the struggles and problems and He leads us victoriously but this doesn’t guarantee that your life is going to be a cakewalk. Theodore Roosevelt once famously said, “Never in history has a man who lived a life of ease, left a name worth remembering”.

Paul got baptised and now he was a changed man. His transformation was nothing short of a miracle. The man who travelled everywhere to hunt down Christians would now travel to the ends of the earth to tell people about Jesus. John MacArthur says, “From a volatile, energetic, dynamic enemy of Jesus Christ, persecutor, blasphemer came the greater part of the New Testament. Came the noblest statements of Christian theology. Came the sweetest songs of God’s love. And he became the most saintly, heroic person who ever named the name of Jesus Christ. What a transformation.”We all marvel at this dramatic change in Paul and His great exploits but what we forget to notice is the multiple life threats, warnings, beatings and untold sufferings he encountered to pursue the vision God had laid in his heart. Paul had been told right after his conversion that he was going to suffer many things for Christ. On one hand, the Jews and the Hellenists were waiting to conspire and kill him and on the other hand, many Christians (even the disciples) still didn’t believe that he was a changed man.

When you follow Christ and preach the gospel it will offend people because the gospel hits at the root of everything most people hold dear, and the popular modern day belief that we are accountable to no one and that we can do anything we set our mind to. The gospel comes along and says “you’re not the center of the universe and you’re helpless to save yourself.”This core truth is hated and scorned by the world. Jesus said, “don’t be surprised when the world hates you.”Are we ready to take a stand for Christ and follow him even when the road ahead looks tough?

Paul Samuel

Paul is serving as the Worship Coordinator of Crossway Church in New Delhi, he can be reached at musicbuff99@gmail.com