The ease of the days does not exist.

We all know someone who starts a story like this: back in my day…

Some of us can even start that story because let’s face it, times are weird right now and that ease we faced when we were kids or when our parents were kids just is not there.

It is not just helicopter parents buzzing around kids’ heads that makes the world tense, but the lack of respect, direction, consistency, tradition, and truly, the lack of solid Christian upbringing. We are fighting an uphill battle that involves multiple facets that the church and society as a whole are ill-equipped for.

Why are we ill-equipped? Maybe because we did take it too easy when society started leaning into liberal ideals and feel-good religion.  Maybe we were too easy when social media dictated looks and we handed apps to quiet the cries of our toddlers. Maybe we were just too easy when we looked to the government to pay our bills and to answer our concerns instead of reading the book that never changes and getting on our knees in faith and prayer.

Too much ease has led to laziness and materialism and now to whatever this mess that we face today.

And this mess that we face today is what has infiltrated our churches and breaks out hearts. It is what blinds our families and defeats our souls. It is what we have allowed to suck the peace out of our Christian walk.

My poor heart aches over all that we are bombarded with on the outside so that as I face my trials, my thoughts just seem pulled in different directions. Discernment wants to take over yet God’s very clear Word even seems to confuse me in the direction that I should go. It looks like I need to be jumping through firey hoops all the while resting beside still waters.

Oh, Lord, what do we do when conflict gets us down?

Isaiah 40:30-31ESV

Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

There it is. God always has the best words. Encouragement abounds even when we fight against it. I say to myself at times: self, you are just too tired to open your Bible and read. Close your eyes a few seconds more. Drink a few more sips of coffee. Daydream a bit longer. Pretend to be floating away on a cloud. Do not open that book because you know it is right despite your sour attitude and burdens.

It is not easy to open the book at times, but we all know that once we are there, it is all true. It is just a hard pill to swallow when you would rather just shut the world off at times.

We also know that it is quite easy to open up God’s Word and just read. He convicts us, allows for discernment, guides us, and gives us that peace we truly long for right when we need it the most.

Sometimes it does not feel like it is there, but that is because there is so much noise that we are refusing to shut off. We need to remember that calling upon the name of the Lord can and will knock out the clamor. His Word and being under His wing will cover us from the disquietude of this world. It is so very hard to see this, and just as hard to embrace, but deep inside a Christian’s soul, we know this to be true.

Back in my day… I will learn that the very best thing to ease my heartache is the Word of the Lord, even if the ache seems far too great.

More from this short series found at this link.