One of my family’s favorite sayings is that anything “worth it” is usually hard, and anything hard is usally worth it. Although many things are hard, many people take great delight in doing those things. For instance, my brothers think that people on the show “America Ninja Warrior” are pretty cool. So do I. What those athletes do is hard; it’s definetly not easy. However hard, those athletes are also persistent because, as I assume, they love what they do, which makes the difficulty small in comparison to the happiness that comes from doing it. As a personal example, I love to run. I can emphatically tell you that running is challenging, mentally and physically. There are times during a run that I wish to quit because I’m out of breath or my legs are burning. Even my arms sometimes burn as I use them to propell me forward, but all of the struggle is worth it to me.
Maybe you do something physically difficult that you consider worthwhile, maybe you do something hard that’s not physical. I know that my mom would say raising and homeschooling four kids is the hardest, best thing she’s ever done- and is still doing. We can all likely relate to doing hard things that we do because, even though they’re hard… They. Are. Worth. It.
If we apply this principle to parts of our lives on this earth, why not apply it to the big picture. Apply it to the life of a follower of Jesus. John 16:33 explains, “‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world'” (NIV). The people on “America Ninja Warrior” are faced with a course of obstacles. When you follow Jesus, He guarantees that you will face obstacles in this world, similarly to America Ninja Warriors.
Unlike America Ninja Warriors, we do not depend on our own physical strength to overcome these obstacles. Instead, we are completely dependent on Christ carrying us through those obstacles on His shoulders. Moreover, those obstacles are only a means to an end. As James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” Although a Christian will experience hard times, they are worth it for the “crown of life that Lord has promised to those who love him.” Paul declares in Romans 8:18, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
That is the big picture.
Now, let’s piece that picture into parts of life. You see, hard times on this earth for the sake of Jesus’s name and glory aren’t just worth it for the eternal life we get to spend with Him in the future. The verse most commonly referred to when sharing the Gospel message is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” I am not an expert of the Greek or Hebrew language, but the Greek word for life in this verse is “zoe,” which refers to a physical and spiritual life, one that is completely dependent on and satisfied by God according to insights on Biblehub.com (Definetly click the link to read about this greek word for yourself. Fascinating!) The reality is that zoe life starts immediatly upon believing in Jesus because once you do that, you receive the Holy Spirit.
Here’s another example of where the word “zoe” is used: John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Did you hear that? Jesus came to give His followers a full life. Other translations say abundant life- a full, abundant spiritual life. Not one full of health, wealth, and happiness, but one overflowing with the fruit of God’s Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit,” explains Galations 5:22-23, “is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
These qualities may not happen right away in a believer’s life; they happen as God’s Spirit cultivates them in us, as we walk and grow closer to Him. They are another thing that makes trials worth it. During the struggle is often when we are forced to draw nearer to God and to rely on Him. Through trials, God refines us to be in deeper relationship with Him and to be more like Jesus, His Son. That’s why James 1:2-4 instructs, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” We can rejoice when trials arise because we know God grows us in trials.
Romans 8:28-29 assures, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” When referencing this verse, it’s important to note the part about loving God and being called according to His purpose. The apostles are a wonderful example of this in Acts 5:41 after being flogged for teaching about Jesus, “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” How was this for their good? In my opinion, their minsitry was for God’s glory and serving Him is good and satisfying because He is worthy of all praise, honor, and glory. Often in my life, I’ve noticed other tangible ways that God has worked hard things that were for His glory for my good, which is ultimately for the good of my relationship with Him and the pursuit of spreading the Gospel.
When we look at trials and the big picture through the Truth of God’s Word, we see that trouble in this world resembles America Ninja Warrior or running. There are obstacles, like there are obstacles in these two activities, involved in our lives as believers in Christ, some more than others, but we can count them pure joy, similar to the way America Ninja Warriors love doing obstacle courses or I love to run, because God uses them to produce perseverance in our faith. Because the Holy Spirit is cultivating His fruit in us. And because God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose. All in all, let’s start remembering that when we are in a jam experiencing struggles, anything “worth it” is usually hard, and anything hard is usally worth it. And in the jam, we can be joyful not because of who we are, but because of who God is.
