It's Not Easy

Good morning hermanos y hermanas! May today be a day filled with the best that God has for us as we offer the best of who we are to the Lord as well.

When I was in seminary in Kentucky, I had a Korean neighbor who was a fellow seminarian and who also shared with me the joy of playing tennis. Because English was his second language, it was a challenge at times to fully understand all that he was saying. But he had a phrase that he learned well early on in his experience in the United States - "it's not easy", he would frequently say. Whether it was a particular shot in tennis, a course he was taking, or trying to raise two young children while going to seminary full-time, it was always the same phrase, "David, it's not easy", he would say. Needless to say, that phrase has become a household phrase for the Blancos - "it's not easy."

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 reminds us that "it's not easy." Last Sunday I was preaching on Mark's gospel, chapter 8 where Jesus challenged his disciples to "deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him." He also told them that the way of the Messiah was one of suffering, rejection, and death. In other words, to say that "you are the Christ" carries certain implications - "it's not easy." The Apostle Paul thanked God for the Thessalonians' work, labor, and endurance. I got to thinking, "isn't work and labor synonymous?" I was always under the assumption that to labor was to work and vice versa. However, Paul used "ergon" (work) and "kopos" (labor). The difference is that work is that task that we are called to partake in as the church. Labor refers to the "toil" and "exertion" that it takes to undergo that task. In other words, we know the work at hand, to "labor" towards it is another matter - "it's not easy." Let us take on the challenge of laboring for God's kingdom - for God's glory and for our edification.

Do you ever find yourself thinking, "it's not easy"? I do. And it isn't. But it's worth it, and God will give us the grace to endure (1 Thessalonians 1:3).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your faithful love. We find ourselves many times saying, "it's not easy." Help us to endure, give us courage, and continue to give us your grace to be faithful disciples. In Jesus' name. Amen.