The pursuit of the American dream is no longer about family and faith, but consumerism, wealth, socioeconomic status. We are in pursuit of comfort. But that is not the life God calls us to. The Christian life wasn't meant to be easy. Jesus warns us of troubles,
that we must carry our cross and follow him (Luke 14:27).
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on
you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
1 Peter 4:12
So often, I find myself in a comfy life...I drive one mile to the grocery store to buy what I feel like eating and my closet is packed with enough clothes to never wear a repeat outfit for weeks on end. My queen sized mattress is topped with memory foam and I schedule in five workouts every week. In no way am I saying these things are evil, but the comforts of life cannot overtake the mission of Christ. How can I claim to follow Christ, yet only halfheartedly study His Word? I'm not living out Kingdom principles when I am consumed with the details of my own life, never slowing down enough to love the people in my sphere of influence.
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:8-11
Are you setting yourself up to be comfortable?
What things do you love too much?
