The Impossible Christian Life

 April 13, 2024

Saturday

Jesus said that all who come to Him would get rest. That isn't what most people think. They think that living their lives as Christians is hard work. In a way, it is, but not like most people think.

So many things we are called to do as Christians are impossible. We can act like we are changed from the inside out but we are mostly just putting on a show. True change cannot come from our efforts to change. True change comes from the One we have trusted in. We live by faith in Him.

Faith is believing, yes, and so much more. Faith is admitting that we can't be the people we think Christians should be. Faith is a surrender to the One who can change us. We may be able to look like we are changed for some time but a crisis will reveal who we really are. For example, we can tithe and say that we trust in the Lord. Then, we get the desire for a new car. We never thought that a car payment could be that much. So, we justify our expense. God wants us to work and we need that new car to get to work. You know the Lexus, or Tesla, or Corvette? After all, we need to present a good image for the Lord, right?

How about forgiving people that have done us wrong? We say we don't hate them but we act like we do. We say that we have forgiven them but we act like we haven't. We say we have tried to forgive . . . and we have but we haven't been successful. We just can't do it.

Or, let's take another example: How about those people whom we just despise but we are supposed to love? So, we just avoid them. That's real love, right?

The problem is that we haven't come to Jesus to give us rest. We have gone from Jesus to try and live the Christian life on our own. We know we are failing so we have resigned ourselves to look like we are succeeding. Is that the same thing?

The strongest words we can say in coming to Jesus are, "Jesus I can't without You." We can't be saved without Him and we can't live the Christian life without Him. We must cling to Him if we are to be changed. We must depend upon Him to change us.

The most important thing a Christian can do is to pledge allegiance to the Lord each morning. He or she should admit that this is the Lord's day even if it isn't Sunday. He or she must admit that there is no power to do His will without Him. There is no power to become like Him without Him. There is no power to forgive or love or overcome addictions or anything else that is fleshly impossible. It is the one who listens and obeys the Spirit that will overcome his weaknesses.

Then, by coming to Him, you will have rest.

Galatians 2:20 (NASB 2020) ²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.