Being a Christian is hard, but not complicated. It can be very difficult to maintain focus and exercise the disciplines of self-denial, self-control, a God-toward focus, a life of prayer, and the pursuit of holiness. Our flesh struggles against it. We are lazy, selfish, proud, and fearful, and our inner corruption fights against the work the Spirit is both empowering and calling us to do each day. We also face opposition from foes all around us. The world is constantly seeking to distract and waylay us. The sirens call us to turn our ship and land on strange shores. It is hard to be holy in a world that is so unholy.
But being a faithful Christian is not complicated. You do not need a degree in theology. In fact, sometimes a degree in theology seems to complicate and corrupt what is simple and straightforward. Love God and your neighbor. Trust Christ, and obey him. Resist the Devil. Do your duty each day with reverence, gratitude, and joy. Say your prayers each day, and gather with the Church to worship on the Lord’s Day. It is not complicated. It’s just hard to do.
Part of the secret to doing hard things is to make discipline a habit. An elite soldier does not get up in the morning and decide whether he will work out his body and train his skillset. He just does it. Most days he is tired and a little banged up. A normal person would tell him to take it easy, take a rest day, you don’t want to overdo it and burn out. If he takes the time to decide whether he will go to work, he may not. Work is not a choice; it is a lifestyle.
We have been enlisted and ordained for spiritual war. Our weapons are prayer, Scripture, personal holiness, and worship. We must train our bodies and minds for conflict and combat. If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small (Prov. 24:10). The Devil and our own weak flesh will offer endless excuses for why we can safely neglect these disciplines. All of those excuses sound reasonable, but they are lies. The Christian must cultivate the mindset of a warrior, because that is what he is, engaged in holy combat with the Devil, the world, and our own flesh.
God is summoning his people to Mt. Zion. He is gathering his army, both in heaven and on earth, and the saints assemble to sing praises to and receive blessing from their King. The Lord of hosts is a mighty warrior, and we are mighty because we are united to him. Sin no longer has dominion over us. Laziness and worldliness and lust have no power to control us, except insofar as we surrender it to them. The Church gathers on the Lord’s Day to sing the praise and prayers that shake and collapse the strongholds of the City of Man. Gather your gear, gird up your loins, and prepare your hearts and minds to do battle with joy. --JME