Well…actually…whether you find the Christian walk difficult or easy…it doesn’t call into question your salvation. Your salvation is based upon Christ’s work…not your experience. But, we have often been led to believe that this walk will be difficult. But, is it? Must it be? Is the Christian life supposed to be hard? If we find it easy, are we misled or noncommittal? Jesus encouraged us to take His yoke upon us…it’s easy and His burden is light. So, if I find His yoke easy and His burden light…is there something wrong with me?
The ease or difficulty of task or a journey is somewhat subjective. When the task is a delight, the work involved seems light; when the task is drudgery, the slightest amount of work will seem burdensome. I have seen my children work hard at something they love, but when asked to wash the dishes, it’s too hard. My 6 year old will tirelessly work on maps, effortlessly memorizing the countries of the world; but be reduced to tears when asked to do his math. “I’m only 6! It’s too hard!!”
If our delight in something has an effect on its perceived difficulty, maybe we are asking the wrong question. A better question to ask ourselves is, “Is my walk with Jesus a delight? Or, is it drudgery?” Have you ever been in love and would to go great lengths for the one you love? No sacrifice is too great nor too difficult when we are in love. Delight in an activity, or for the person for whom it is done, will make the work seem effortless. Without such delight, it is tedious…burdensome…difficult. Love and delight will spur us on to do things that drudgery and duty would seek to avoid. When our service is driven by our passion, it will energize us rather than drain us. When I am delighted to be yoked to Him, the work involved will be a delight, and no sacrifice will be too great; when our Christian walk is drudgery, the smallest sacrifice will seem to be too much, and the slightest task will seem burdensome.
The Greek myths tell of the beautiful music of the Sirens, whose lovely voices lured sailors to shipwreck on the rocks that surrounded their island. Only two men succeeded in sailing past their rocky island: Odysseus and Jason. Odysseus longed to hear their voices so he ordered his sailors to tie him firmly to the mast and do not loose him no matter how desperately he struggled to be free. His sailors were then instructed to fill their own ears with wax so as not to hear the voices of the Sirens. As their ship drew nearer to the the island, Odysseus’ ears were filled with the enchanting music of the Sirens. Longing to sail toward their music, he struggled and fought to free himself from the cords that bound him tight. He shouted to his sailors. But, they were deaf to his cries…and the music of the Sirens. To Odysseus…sailing past the island of the Sirens was work…it was tiring….it was draining…and the lure of the Sirens’ voices forever haunted his memory.
Jason chose a different method. He hired a musician named Orpheus whose musical ability was said to charm not only living things, but even stones. As they drew nearer the island of the Sirens, he bade Orpheus play his music. The beautiful music of Orpheus so delighted Jason and the Argonauts that the music of the Sirens was never heard. They were enchanted with the music from Orpheus’ harp. Jason’s journey past the rocky island was a delight….it was no effort at all to resist the Sirens’ music because they were so delighted by the music of Orpheus…music so beautiful it forever stayed in his memory.
If we are going to stay enchanted by the lures of this world, our journey through it will be work…tiring…draining. Its lure will haunt us forever…luring us to shipwreck. But, if are enchanted by the Lover of our souls…our journey through this world will be a delight…a lover’s jaunt…with the memories of our relationship forever etched in our memories…strengthening us to continue on and not give up.
History and literature are replete with stories of valiant men who fought wars, trekked through deserts and mountains, defeated hosts of enemies and more….because of the love of a maiden. Stories, yes. But they show us that love will take us where duty never can; delight will empower us where drudgery will drain us.
The difficulty we perceive is more indicative of the delight we take in the activity than in the activity itself. In the same way, the difficulty of the Christian walk is more indicative of the delight we find in Him, rather than in the tasks He asks us to do. Yes, the tasks are demanding of us at times…even painful sometimes. But, when we are delighted in Him…when He is our passion…when our love for Him fills us…those things He asks of us become less burdensome.