What do you think is the hardest part of being a christian for you?
Is it believing in a God you can't physically see, praying for your enemies (if anyone's actually done it, I haven't been able to), resisting temptation, forgiving those who hurt you, staying in faith through tough times, accepting God's will when something bad happens, etc.? What is it? (you can pick more than one if you want)
If you can give an example or story of something that was very difficult for you, please do.
I mean, any of those can be really difficult for anyone. In my case, I've always known God. It's not even a question of Him being real or anything... That's like the philosophy professors who have gone off the deep end and try to convince you that you or the chair you're sitting in, etc are not real and don't exist outside human perception. Psh!...I don't have time or willingness to pay money for this nonsense! Are you serious?
For me, it's more subtle and personal. I don't know if anyone's heard the last supper story, but according to it, da Vinci looked for the most 'Jesus-like' person he could find to paint first. He found him...a man that seemed to shine out with God's love and light, and asked to/painted him. Several years passed, as he searched and painted each disciple... then, at the last, he needed to find a Judas. He searched for someone who seemed to have a darkened and troubled countenance...suffering with sin and worldly living. He found him, and asked/painted the man...then when he finished, showed him the painting.
The man burst into tears. It was the same man who years ago he had asked to paint as Jesus.
The moral of this story, is my greatest struggle in Christianity. To continually choose God and die to myself. Each day, to study scripture, pray, spend time with God and fellowship with other Christians, to worship and grow and change, to spend myself in love and service... Just as quickly as and easily as we can choose God and find freedom from sin, we can choose sin and our flesh and find ourselves trapped in the same old junk as always.
The hardest part of being Christian (following Christ Jesus), is to actually choose and be like him. Even the disciples constantly messed up, went back to their old ways, didn't get it, chose the wrong things...
The Hebrew for Salvation or Believe are verbs, and really sort of a perfect past, present, and future participle. Something that happened back when, is happening now, and will happen in the future. It's an ongoing process, and always a choice we have to make. To chose Christ each and every moment, every day, no matter what happened, good or bad, or how you feel, or who you're around, or different places and positions you find yourself in... That, my friends, is incredibly difficult.
At the same time, just like 1 Cor 10 tell us, and Jesus showed us by example, no one HAS to sin. We just chose to, unfortunately. We seem to be bent or inclined to do so. Paul explained it as 'the law of sin and death' at work in us. To truly crucify that flesh, over and over, and be born of The Spirit, eating spiritual food and waiting on/following whatever The Father says and does... this is what it means to be Christian. This is what Jesus did and does. Who He is and was.
...and for some reason...it's very very difficult for most of us.