It's hard

Living a life in obedience to God is very hard. It's probably the most difficult thing anyone can do. Obeying God means doing things as how Jesus would have done. Of course, that means giving up a lot of things. Course, you have your basic giving up sinning and maybe even some of your time and money to do His work but what I've realise is that to be a man after God's own heart, there's more to sacrifice.

First of all, living for God means sacrificing all my wants, needs and ambition in order that I may receive God's ambitions for my life. I know it's the best option but it's hard to follow! His ways is higher than mine, His thoughts are higher. So quite many things He has asked me to do don't make sense to me. Some of what He has done for me in the past, I now see why He did it. The staggering thing is there are still things that He has done for me as well as things He will be doing that I still do not understand!

Also, it means sacrificing my time and money for His work. Funding the church in all that they do for His glory. Volunteering for church work. Sacrificing my personal time to spend time with Jesus. Letting go of my free time to spend it in church, to know more about God. But it's good! Because it draws me closer to God and I am able to know Him better.

But more than that, it also means sacrificing anything that may make others not see God in me and may even draw them away. It means no longer cursing or blowing up at others. To me, to be more Christlike means forgiving those who cut me off in a traffic jam. It means taking on His value system and His way to do life. Personally, it makes me stop buying pirated goods.

But it's not all that bad or harsh. I'm able to control my anger better. In fact, I've only once let my anger control me since I came back to God. More than that, I now have to confidence to do all things because I know God is always by my side. And that no matter what happens, He will protect me and provide for me. Through His promises, the worries of the world no longer disturb me. Money, fame, fortune, security, comfort no longer matters to me because I have the one thing that matters; a relationship with God.

Matthew 13:44-46 - The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.