Always Worth It

You’ve probably heard the quote that says, “nothing worth doing is easy” or something along those lines.  Following Jesus is not easy.  If we think it is, we are probably doing something wrong.  We will still experience suffering, hardships, challenges, and trials.  These things do not go away just because we choose to follow Jesus.  But the peace, love, and joy that we can experience through it all is a reminder that following Christ is worth it, no matter how difficult it may be at times. 

The Gospel for today (Monday) ends with, “I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.  In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world” (John 16:33).  This is one of my favorite lines in scripture.  Jesus tells us that we will have trouble, but he has conquered the world- he has defeated sin, death, and evil!  Are we convicted of this deep within our hearts?

If we all truly knew His peace and allowed it to sustain us, the world would be a different place- maybe not the whole world, but maybe just our little corner of the world.  When a person is filled with the deep, interior peace of Christ, it is visible.  It can be seen in someone’s words, actions, and just his or her overall disposition.  And I think if we shared this peace with the people around us, it would overflow into their lives and make a big difference in the interactions we have.  It would spread within our circles and help others to experience Christ.

Something to remember is that peace is not simply a calm atmosphere, a certain state of mind, or a time of rest.  While we may experience these things when we experience peace, these are all temporary.  Real peace is a person- and that person is Jesus Christ.  There is a book I read a few years ago called Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart by Fr. Jacques Phillippe which covers the topic very well.  One quote from that book encapsulates it well:

“Consider the surface of a lake, above which the sun is shining. If the surface of the lake is peaceful and tranquil, the sun will be reflected in this lake; and the more peaceful the lake, the more perfectly will it be reflected. If, on the contrary, the surface of the lake is agitated, undulating, then the image of the sun can not be reflected in it. It is a little bit like this with regard to our soul in relationship to God. The more our soul is peaceful and tranquil, the more God is reflected in it, the more His image expresses itself in us, the more His grace acts through us.”
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When you wake up each day, remember that following Jesus is not easy, but it is always worth it.  You will have trouble, but find peace in Him and know that He is right there with you.  Allow His peace to be reflected in your soul so that others may come to know Him a bit more.