Do It Anyway


Can I be real for a moment? Beware—I’m talking gut-wrenching honest… Some days I just don’t want to live this ‘Christian’ life. [Gasp!] [It’s ‘okay’ (relatively speaking)—Jesus isn’t surprised to ‘hear’ that—He knows… (and He’s working on me)]

Let me explain. There are some days that I get tired of having to watch what I say, what I do, what I think about; and people—I get so tired of people— I don’t want to watch my mouth when someone cuts me in line, or on the road; I don’t want to be nice when I’m exhausted and hungry; I don’t want to have to love someone when they are being unlovable… and I certainly don’t want to have to always make the right choice over my choice. Some days that voice of conviction (the Holy Spirit) (John 16:7-8) inside of me that snaps my mouth shut before an inappropriate word flies, or keeps my hands on the wheel instead making a rude gesture—some days that voice grates on my nerves.

I look around and see all these other people that don’t have to live under that conviction, and they seem happy. They get a satisfaction in spewing a bunch of hateful words at someone—saying what they want and what they mean. They are immediately gratified when they can gesture at a non-courteous driver. They don’t care about the people they pass by on the street and are fine for it. But are they? (Proverbs 18:1, Romans 2:8, Galatians 5: 19-21, 2 Timothy 3:1-3) They may seem happy and okay and full of life—but what life? Life in this world isn’t really life…

The truth is, Jesus had moments where He didn’t want to do things, either. In Matthew 14, Jesus found out His friend (John The Baptist) died and He wanted to go away, but the people kept coming, so He stayed and continued to minister to them. In the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46) Jesus prayed for God to take away what He was about to face (the Cross), but then followed it up with ‘Father Your Will Be Done’. Are you catching that? It’s okay to not want to do these things…but, do them anyway. (Matthew 20:28)

This world and our life in it, are not about us. Contrary to what we think and what the world around us tells us—we don’t matter all that much. What does matter is how we serve Jesus by serving the people around us. And yes, that means keeping my mouth closed, my hands on the wheel, and my ‘hangriness’ non-existent. All for the love of God. You don’t want to go to church? Do it anyway. You don’t want to cook a meal for a sick neighbor? Do it anyway. You don’t want to help a friend move? Do it anyway. Do you get the picture? It’s not about our wants; it’s about Jesus—plain and simple. What if Jesus sat down in the Garden and said ‘You know what? I’m tired of these people. They don’t deserve my Sacrifice. I’m God and I don’t have to do this…’ and then He didn’t die on the Cross? Where would we be then?

We’ve got to put our selfish desires aside and follow Jesus. (Luke 9:23, Romans 13:14, Philippians 2:3) It may be exhausting, grueling, hurtful, hard…but we’ve got to just suck it up and do it. If not, then truly nothing in this life will matter. (James 4:17) It’s all about the ever after—and that’s it. (Galatians 6:9)

Feelings are temporary. Gratification in this world is brief. But Jesus is eternal. So regardless of the fact that you don’t feel like obeying His Word, living this life for Him—do it anyway. (James 1:22)

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