What is the hardest thing in the world? It depends on who you ask. A four-year-old might say learning to read. Some of my students say they would like to be in the kindergarten class again. I remind them they would have to start over and come right back to where they are now. This usually happens when they get to fractions. The most appealing thing about kindergarten to me is the carefree world most of the children live in. Of course, their little problems seem very big to them. That is why teaching them to handle difficulties at a young age is so important. Problems get bigger and more complicated.
Some students say that algebra is the most difficult thing they have experienced, but I think it is their interpersonal relationships. I observe them and the drama that goes on in their lives. I have read about the difficulties teenagers and even younger children are experiencing through social media. The cyberbullying is rampant and innocence is lost at such a young age. As parents, we need to supervise their internet usage and limit their time on the web. Teaching children to say no and learning to stand alone is also important. Believe me, it is a hard lesson to learn. Most adults have not mastered it.
Losing a loved one is a valley we also go through. It is one of the most difficult things to experience. My father passed away last year, and I loved him very much. I did not want him to suffer, but I did not want to let him go. My mom and dad had been married for 61 years, so this was the most difficult thing my mom has ever experienced. I would not bring him back, because I know he is in Heaven with Jesus. I still miss him, though. I cannot imagine going through the death of a loved one without Jesus.
There are so many difficult things people go through. The experiences of our lives determine our perspective on difficulty. I never had to experience abuse from my parents, so my childhood was relatively carefree. I had normal ups and downs that I thought were quite serious at the time. But now that I am an adult and hear other people’s stories, I know I had it good. Isn’t it interesting how we think we have it so bad until we meet someone with much bigger problems?
Being a good Christian is hard! As a Christian, we are supposed to exhibit many attributes. We are to be like Christ. Galatians 5:22-24 states “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” These characteristics should be apparent in every Christian, but sadly they are not. We all have the capability, but we fail miserably.
Yes, it is very hard to live the Christian life. No, it is impossible. Well, it is impossible to do it in our own power. We are expected to let Christ live through us. We are going to mess up, but being like Christ is the goal. Yes, it is hard to be joyful all the time. It is hard for our faith not to falter. But according to I Corinthians 13, love is the most important, and I submit, it is the most difficult.
For us to love others the way God loves us, unconditionally, we must always put the needs of others ahead of our own. Do we realize what true love really means? I am not sure we do.
Love grows as we grow in our Christian walk. When we love someone, we want what is best for them. Many people define love in the way they feel when they are with that special someone. If the person makes them feel good, and they enjoy being around them, they love them. But what happens when that person is not so lovable, they want out of the relationship, or they get mad? Many arguments or fights stem from someone not bowing to another person’s image. That is not God’s kind of love.
As parents, grandparents, and as children, we are tested in the attributes of love. Love is patient. How hard is it to be patient? Whether we are helping our children with their homework, raising teenagers, or helping an elderly parent, it requires patience. Being patient on the outside is hard enough, but true love is patient on the inside. If not, it will eventually exhibit in our actions.
Love is kind and envieth not. It is not proud nor does it behave itself unseemly. Love seeketh not her own-wants what is best for others. It is not easily angered. Love thinketh no evil-it always thinks the best of others. It is not happy when others fail, and it rejoices in the truth-it doesn’t lie. Love never fails. Wow! When we read all of these attributes of love, we must realize how often we fall short. We don’t love our close family members as we should, let alone a lost and dying world.
I think we could sum it up in one sentence. We need to love others more than ourselves. If we truly die to self, we will make the difficult choices. We will be patient when we are tired. We will tell the truth even when it hurts. We will swallow our pride and ask for forgiveness when we wrong others. We will say no when it is in the person’s best interest. We will be kind in our words and our actions. When correction is necessary, we will discipline the action-not attack the person.
Will we always have all of the attributes of unconditional love? Not hardly! However, it should be our goal. We need to be reminded that God has all of these attributes when He deals with us. He has unconditional love. If not, He would have destroyed mankind a long time ago. Instead, He gave us the way to get to Heaven. He sent His only Son to die on a cross so we might be saved from Hell. He died so we might have abundant life. He is with us daily so we might experience some Heaven on earth.
We talked about hard times earlier. He is with us through those, too. God loves us so much that He never deserts us. It is up to us how much love we allow in. When we put God into a closet in our hearts, we cannot experience all of the love God has to offer us. I must give Him all of me and so should you.
We already have God’s unconditional love before we even get saved. He sent His Son for everyone. As in any gift, we cannot experience the benefits until we accept the gift. If you don’t know Christ, won’t you accept Him today?
Mrs. Worthington has five children and eleven grandchildren. She serves as Principal of Pathway Christian Academy in Goldsboro.