It's Not Easy, Part II

Buenos dias a todos! Just one more day and weekend is here! God be with each of you in a special way during this day.

Yesterday I shared about my Korean friend who coined the phrase for me, "it's not easy." Life is not easy, we could say. What about life is not easy? What is that challenges us the most? Is it our careers, family, life-altering decisions, financial matters, moral values, etc.? I have always said that just plain everyday life is tough, but when you factor in all of the daily "crosses" we must bear, life takes on a whole other meaning. In any case, life is not easy, my friend would say. And certainly, when you factor in the "way of the Master", it most definately is not easy.

The Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4 gave thanks for the church in Thessalonica because their faith had been growing steadily. The church was bearing fruit, fruit that lasts. They most likely were involved in ministry, mission, evangelism, worship, and were good stewards of their resources - all of this without any 5, 7, or 12-step method approach. They had not gone to the latest seminar on church growth or congregational mobilization and development. Yet, their faith in Christ was growing and so was their love in Christ for one another. So, if they didn't have the latest 7-step method for growing a church, what was going on? 1 Thessalonians 1:4 says, "Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring." They were "working" their faith, "laboring" in following Jesus. You'll remember that yesterday I mentioned the distinction between the work we do versus the labor that we exert to perform that work. It's no wonder that when a mother is giving birth it's called "labor." There is pain, agony, and suffering involved in the process of carrying out the "work" of giving birth. And somehow (somehow we men will never understand), they are able to endure. But as we all know (especially all the mothers who have given birth), that endurance leads to the joy that that "labor" brings - a new life that is invaluable.

We all face the journey of life that includes trials and struggles and a mission that requires "labor". There may be pain and suffering, but we know that in Christ we can endure so that our faith would indeed grow as our love for God and each other also grows.

Prayer: Dear God, we thank You for your Son and for your Spirit who give us life. Help us endure the reality of life. And when we feel the agony of our "labor", strengthen us we pray. We know that "it's not easy", but we know that we can come to You and receive comfort and strength. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.