Couch Christians—Why not easy and convenient?

13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matt 7:13-14)

What have you risked for God?

Have you ever taken any chances for God? Following him boldly into the path of greatest resistance?

Have you ever gone out on a limb—saw in hand—to take a chance on God's promises?

Have you ever taken a dare? Spoken up for the Lord when it seemed everyone around you couldn't care less?

Have you ever stepped outside your comfort zone to attempt God's will? Did you ever walk an extra mile? Turn the other cheek? Love your enemy—I mean really to love those who hate you, to love the unlovable?

Have you ever sacrificed something for the cause of Christ? Given up your time for him when you would have preferred to spend it doing your own thing? Postponed your plans to buy that new boat or car or couch because the Spirit prompted you to help someone in need?

My brother was scheduled to return to Iraq where he has been teaching in a college. But a week before leaving he was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma, stage 3. His doctors tell him there's really no treatment for the disease. However, it's a very slow moving disease, and he has no serious symptoms, so he decided the best thing to do is to live. He doesn't want to give up and sit on the sidelines doing nothing, waiting to die. So Monday he leaves again for Iraq where he'll start his classes three weeks late. But here's the cool part—a casual acquaintance from his church, having just heard about his diagnosis, stopped by Thursday to see how he was doing. When he heard he had made plans to leave for Iraq, the man said, "My wife and I were praying about it, and that is exactly what we thought you should do!" And then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a check for $1,000 to help him with his trip. My brother told me this man isn't wealthy. In fact, he has a kid in college. That check was a sacrifice for him. Have you ever sacrificed something to be obedient to God?

What have you risked? Where have you taken a chance?

Some people never take chances. They don't like getting outside their comfort zone. They are risk-aversive. They would rather play it safe than risk failing at something. Their motto is:

"If you aim at nothing, you'll be sure to sure to hit it!"

One man said: "A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." (Philanthropist John Shedd, 1850-1926)

Some people never fail because they never attempt anything. They never sail out of the harbor. They never launch out into the unknown. They don't know what it is to experience major loss because they never dare to risk doing something big. They stay safe, but they also never enjoy success or accomplishment or victory.

They think they're successful because they've managed to dodge major set-backs or disaster. But they don't understand what real success is.

"Success is not the absence of failure."

Or, to put it another way: "Avoiding failure is not success."

When we lived in Texas years ago, my wife worked for a real estate broker named Mike Justice. He seemed to be at the top of his game. He'd built a small empire selling farmland around the West Texas Panhandle. He wasn't afraid to take a chance. One day, however, he confessed to my wife that he wasn't always so successful. On his way to where he was, he had failed several times. In fact, he had gone bankrupt and lost everything a couple of times. But the reason he was successful was that he had dared to take the chances necessary to succeed in a large way.

If you've played it safe all your life, if you've never failed at anything, you're probably living life way too safely! God has a plan for you—but the bigger the plan, the more difficult it will be. It's not an easy one.

God wants you to take a dare—to trust him with something big and bold. God calls you to do something difficult and hard. God challenges you to step out in faith so you'll have the chance to do something for him!

Here's a famous poem you may recall:

One night I had a wondrous dream
One set of footprints there was seen
The footprints of my precious Lord,
But mine were not along the shore.
And then some stranger prints appeared,
So I asked the Lord, "What have we here?
Those prints are large and round and neat,
But Lord they are too big for feet."
"My child," He said in somber tones,
"For miles I carried you alone.
I challenged you to walk in faith,
But you refused and made me wait.
You disobeyed, you would not grow,
The walk of faith, you would not know.
So I got tired, I got fed up,
and there I dropped you on your butt.
Because in life, there comes a time,
when one must fight, and one must climb.
When one must rise and take a stand,
or leave their butt prints in the sand."

God may not be calling you to do something spectacular or significant, but he still God wants you to be faithful and obedient. You may not move a mountain, but God wants you to move something!

If nothing else—move your butt!

You cannot walk in obedience to God without daring to take a chance, without being willing to risk something, without having the courage to step out into a scary place where simple faith and trust in his promises are all you've got to go on.

Think of the people in the Bible who went to a scary place because they wanted to follow God and because they were ready to do whatever it took to be faithful! They didn't take the easy road; they took the hard way.

Gideon...outnumbered, afraid, doubtful, feeling inferior.

Esther...alone in palace, ignored by the king (her husband), threatened by death.

Moses...angry mob on one side, soldier and chariots of Egypt on the other.

Daniel...chose a den of lions over abandoning God.

David...faced an ugly giant armed to the teeth.

Peter...dared to step out of the boat, to face off against wind and waves.

Peter...stood up to the authorities, refused to back down, declared he had to obey God rather than man.

Paul...2 Cor 11:23-27.

32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37 They were stoned ; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—
38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Heb 11:32-40)

13 Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to hell [destruction] is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it. 14 But the gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard, and there are few people who find it. (Matt 7:13-14, TEV)

How does that line up against Matt 11:30? "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt 11:30) An "easy" yoke? "Easy" meant something that "fit well"—it would not injure or chafe the animal. But an "easy" yoke is still a yoke. A yoke involves commitment, surrender to a task or a call, submission to a master, and work.

...The gate to destruction is wide, and the road that leads there is easy to follow... (CEV)

A broad, wide road is the easiest way to go. Think of sailing down a freeway at 70 mph; listening to your favorite music on the CD player; sitting in your padded, ergonomically correct seat; enjoying the comfort of 70° (AC in the summer, heat in the winter). Now think of how that compares with one of the explorers to our area—Father Hennepin, for instance—who hiked on foot along small, meandering deer trails through the forests; tripping over rocks and tree roots; carrying backpacks loaded down with supplies; swatting mosquitoes and biting flies; and camping out each night because they couldn't travel 130 miles in a couple of hours.

Jesus calls us to follow him by taking the road of an adventurer or a pioneer—a risk-taker. Not many will choose that path, he says. Most prefer the broad, smooth, convenient freeway in life. Very few take the difficult path.

But Jesus calls us to make a commitment, to count the cost, to pay the price of serving him. Jesus calls us to trust him and follow him—even into difficult uncomfortable places.

Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention. (MSG)

So many people believe that following Jesus Christ as Savior is all about them. Because God loves them, they figure, he has a wonderful plan for their lives and wants to save them from their sins. They believe God intends for their lives to be filled with blessings, ease, miracles, and comfort—never any hardship, challenge, risk, or danger.

They don't realize the truth of what Rick Warren writes in his book, The Purpose-Driven Life. He begins the book by saying, "It's not about you." He goes on to say:

"The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It's far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose." [ p 17]

In America, many Christians seem to have bought the idea that God's will always comes as an "open door"—something that comes easily. They think a "closed door" means God cannot be in it, but an open door with no roadblocks or obstacles must mean God is in it.

Not only will they miss God's call when it's difficult and demanding, they will choose to go the wrong way any time it is easy and convenient. We often interpret the difficulty of a task as a sign of God's involvement. The more difficult or challenging something is, some say, the less likely it is God's will.

Many Christians who have a restricted theology that understands God's work only in human terms. In their restricted theology, there is no room for hardship, for spiritual battle, for challenge, for discomfort or pain, or for sacrifice. Their theology has little patience for delay or set-backs, for struggle, for perseverance, or for hardships.

But such a view of God and of his will is extremely man-centered. When we think more about our own comfort, ease, and convenience than God's ultimate purpose, we miss the opportunity to see things from God's point of view.

We must be open to God's higher motivations. We must be ready to accept new challenges. We must be prepared to step outside our comfort zone so we can find fulfillment in doing hard things for the Lord!

The irony is that it can be dangerous trying to play it safe! Those who try to avoid risk are often least prepared to handle any kind of difficulty!

Bill Bryson lived outside of the U.S. for 20 years. When he came back he noticed ways American's had changed and pointed out some of the hidden dangers in American life. "Consider this intriguing fact [he wrote]: Almost 50,000 people in the United States are injured each year by pencils, pens, and other desk accessories. [In one year a while back] more than 400,000 people in the United States were injured by chairs, sofas, and sofa beds... [and] 142,000 hapless souls...received emergency room treatment for injuries inflicted by their clothing." [Bill Bryson, I'm A Stranger Here Myself (Broadway, 1999) pp.18-19]

It's the same way in living for the Lord! Trying to play it safe can be one of the most dangerous ways to live.

"The safest place to be is in the center of God's will." I'd rather be answering God's call and following his purpose in a dangerous place than to hide out in a safe place at home out of the will of God.

Remember Jonah? He didn't like God's call. He didn't want to take the difficult journey to Ninevah to work with a difficult people. You can run away from God's call; you can avoid your Ninevah, if you want. But, as Jonah discovered, going the opposite direction could take you directly into the teeth of a storm. And I don't think he felt too safe when he felt himself sliding down the esophagus and into the stomach of that huge fish!

The safest place to be is in the center of God's will. It can be a dangerous thing to take the path of least resistance! Trying to live safely may be the riskiest approach to life for Christians that there is! The easy, convenient, comfortable way can be dangerous for several reasons:

1. Seeking the easy life can lull us into complacency. "Some people wait for all the lights to turn green before they leave the house." So they never get moving! If we sit around waiting for perfect conditions—for the easy road—we'll become complacent and apathetic. We'll become content saying we'd never succeed anyway. "The lazy person is full of excuses, saying, ‘If I go outside, I might meet a lion in the street and be killed!'" (Prov 22:13, NLT)
2. Striving for convenience can weaken our resolve. An ancient Latin proverb says, "If there is no wind, row!" Those who want a favorable wind pushing them along will get discouraged quit when the wind dies down or turns against them. Jesus said, "He who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matt 24:13). And we read in the NT, "You must hold on, so you can do what God wants and receive what he has promised" (Heb 10:36, NCV).
3. Desiring comfort and security can numb our spiritual senses. People who should know better can rationalize anything to defend their easy choice. The Holy Spirit says, "Do this hard thing," and they respond. "This can't be God." Their spiritual sense becomes numb. Distorted.

They're like the man who had been drinking too much when he lost the keys to his house. Someone found him on his hands and knees under the street light, crawling around looking for them. "Well, where did you drop them?" the man asked, trying to be helpful. "Oh, about a half block back that way," said the drunk. "Well, why are you looking for them here?" "Because the light is better over here."

1. Lounging in an easy chair can make us spiritually flabby. Lounging around and relaxing won't develop spiritual strength and stamina. Faith, boldness, and courage come by exercise and hard work! "No pain, no gain!"

So don't be a couch Christian! You won't really fail (but neither will you succeed) if you sit in front of the TV with the clicker in your hand. Couch Christians don't do anything. Get up, get out, get moving!

Lessons learned when we dare step outside our comfort zone (from the book, Doing Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris):

1. God works through our weaknesses to accomplish his plans: ⁹ But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor 12:9-10)
2. You can't get to success without risking failure. Some would say you will have to fail on occasion in order to achieve success.
   • While one person hesitates because he feels inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becoming superior." —Henry C. Link [quoted in Failing Forward, by John Maxwell, p 123]
   • "for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again..." (Prov 24:16)
3. Courage is not the absence of fear. It's choosing to do the right thing in spite of our feelings.
   • Actor John Wayne said: "Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway."
   • For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Tim 1:7, NLT)
   • Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD. (Psalms 27:14, NASB)

 

This letter was written by Southern Baptist Missionary to Iraq, Karen Watson, prior to leaving for the Middle East. The letter was dated March 7, 2003. Karen was killed, along with four other missionaries, on March 15, 2004.

Dear Pastor Phil and Pastor Roger:
You should only be opening this letter in the event of my death.
When God calls there are no regrets. I tried to share my heart with you as much as possible, my heart for the nations. I wasn't called to a place. I was called to him. To obey was my objective, to suffer was expected, his glory my reward. [Then she gives some instructions about the mission work and her funeral. But she concludes with a reading about the missionary's heart]
...Care more than some think is wise.
Risk more than some think is safe.
Dream more than some think is practical.
Expect more than some think is possible.
I was called not to comfort or success but to obedience....There is no joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving him. I love you two and my church family.
In his care,
Salaam,
Karen [from "Keep Sending Missionaries," Baptist Press (3-24-04)]