Serving God Is Not Easy

A lifetime spent in self-denial is a road paved with pain. Sin, at times, offers a sweetness that is hard to deny, and anyone who claims otherwise is lying to themselves. 

Even while trying to walk in step with my Creator, I occasionally find my mind wandering to past indulgences. A smile, unbidden, crosses my face, only for shame to swiftly follow as I recall how I once found joy in those sinful thoughts.

Despite praying, fasting, and immersing myself in worship, I repeatedly find myself veering off course, drawn back toward sin. My thoughts stray, and my actions often follow. There are moments when I lose focus, and my faith falters as doubt slithers its way into my heart. The struggle to conquer evil is fierce, but even so, I am resolved to press on and fight this good fight of faith, trusting that with God’s strength, I will endure.

Serving God is no easy task, for the desires of the flesh often run counter to the Spirit. The things we crave, the impulses we long to act on, are more often than not in direct opposition to God's will. The flesh wants to indulge in the pleasures of this world—to lash out in anger or dance to the rhythms of worldly music—but the Spirit whispers, "This is not the way."

To truly serve God is to stand apart, even when the desire to blend in with the crowd is strong. Scripture tells us, "And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean." The company we keep may seem appealing, but the Spirit warns us when we are in the presence of those who pull us away from God's path.

Our words, too, must be carefully chosen. Every conversation is an opportunity to speak in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. As it says in Matthew 12:36, "But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment."

The places we frequent should reflect our commitment to God. A Christian cannot be found in places of sin, like bars or brothels, and still claim to walk in His service.

It is not wrong to struggle with the decision to follow God’s call. Even Jesus, who was without sin, wrestled with the weight of obedience on the night before His crucifixion. Faced with unimaginable suffering, He prayed, asking the Father if the cup of suffering might pass from Him—if there could be another way to bring about our redemption. Yet, even in His anguish, Jesus made the Father’s will His own, saying, "Father, if it is Your will" and "not My will, but Yours, be done."

In the end, a life devoted to God means surrendering every part of ourselves—our thoughts, our senses, our words, our actions—to His guidance. Our will must fade, allowing His will to take hold. And in seeking His will above our own, we will find a deep and lasting joy. As Ephesians 2:10 reminds us, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

There is a difference between knowing what’s right and doing what’s right. Most of us know what to do but we choose otherwise. Strive to do the will of God that one day we may all say with pride and boldness, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”

“…hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” 🙏🏽