The Cost Of Faith

To be a Christ follower in our world today is to be hated. Jesus told us that “If they hate Me, they will hate you.” Similarly, if we speak Truth to lies, we are called all sorts of names. For some people, the cost is too high as they desire above all else to be loved and respected by the world. 

Jesus warned us, “You adulteress people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God (James 4:4). We have to choose who we live to please. 

But the bigger question is this. What is the price of NOT following God? It’s enormous! To deny God is to deny His PEACE in your life. You are on your own with only your own wisdom to direct you. 

Living without an ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE and understanding leaves a void that is consuming. The chaos of this world makes no sense and desperation settles in. Where there should be understanding and peace, there is anxiety and lack of joy. 

Choosing to live independently of God brings an ETERNAL SEPARATION you were never meant to live with. The Grace of God isn’t available to sweeten your life, and His love isn’t there to comfort you in times of loneliness. This is a lonely road! 

God’s Divine GUIDANCE isn’t there to show you the best path to take. You are left with the frailty of human wisdom combined with the shifting sands of human emotions. This will bring an instability to your life that is unbearable and untrustworthy. 

He gives us a MORAL framework for living in this world that is good, healthy, sustainable and doesn’t strip people of their God-given dignity. But apart from this Wisdom, people allow the worst of sins to be made into law, destroying lives beyond recognition. 

The encouragement is clear, “Make a choice today, who you will serve, for you cannot serve two masters.” The cost of following God is temporary trials, versus the cost of rejecting God is eternal. Choose Life! Choose Christ.

(Devotional by Cheryl Hall-Laos)