Turn on the radio or television to a religious station and before long you will hear someone tell you that if you just give to their ministry that God will bless you one hundred fold. To hear some preachers preach one would get the idea that if you turn your life over to God, and of course give to their ministry, life will be easy. Their claims make it sound like becoming a Christian cures all your troubles including any financial or physical problems that you may have. They make the Christian life sound like a sure ticket to easy street! Of course all of this depends on how much money you send that preacher and his ministry.
Yet, when one turns to the Bible, Jesus paints an altogether different picture. In Matthew 7:13-14, He said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate:for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." A strait gate and narrow way does not sound like easy street. In fact when one takes an honest look at the life of Jesus, the Son of God, one finds not someone on easy street, but a poor, hardworking man who was used to hardship and suffering. Just think, Jesus told one man who wanted to follow Him that, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head" (Matthew 8:20). Here was the King of kings, the Lord of lords and He didn't have so much as a place that He could call His own to sleep while on this earth. Now does that sound like life was easy for Jesus while on this earth? In Mark 8:31, we read, "And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again" The very people who were looking for the Messiah rejected Him, beat Him and had Him crucified, not an easy life by any means.
Peter, the apostle, wrote in 1 Peter 4:12-13, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." Now this sounds a lot different than what many of the radio and television preachers are claiming will happen when you become a Christian. Paul the apostle echoed much the same words as Peter in 2 Timothy 3:12, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." God never promised that His faithful followers' lives would be easy on this earth, but He did promise to help us gain a reward in heaven. Christianity is not a life of ease, but a life of temptation, trial and suffering, but heaven will surely be worth it all!