The Difficulty of Coming to God
Jacob literally wrestled with God. Abraham experienced years of infertility and nearly sacrificed his son. Moses killed, and then fought God’s command to return to Egypt from the wilderness. Paul was blinded. I don’t know of many situations in scripture where someone came to knowing and following God easily.
“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24).
Scripture tells us of a rich young ruler who could not bear to give away his riches to the poor to follow Christ, and we are told, “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24). Luke 9:57-62 tells us of a man who wanted to go back home and bury his father and mother before following Christ, “But Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’”
The Seed Does not Produce Easily
In Mark 4, Jesus give the Parable of the Sower and explains its meaning to the disciples. Verses 5-6 say, “Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it sprang up right away, since it didn’t have deep soil. When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it didn’t have a root, it withered.”
Then the explanation in verse 16-17, “And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy. But they have no root in themselves; they are short-lived. When pressure or persecution comes because of the Word, they immediately stumble.”
It says, in verse 20, “’But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the Word, welcome it, and produce a crop: 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.’”
I find it interesting that scripture doesn’t say the seed that fell on the good ground was received with joy. It says, in verse 20, “’But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the Word, welcome it, and produce a crop: 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.’” I don’t think it’s wrong to receive the Word of God with joy, per se, but I don’t find it consistent with many conversions we know of. Rather, we often find the Word received with trepidation, caution, and an overflowing of grief, but because the Holy Spirit draws us into its overwhelming goodness, we are able to welcome it despite our pain.
Paul writes, “For godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10).
To put it more simply, when people receive the Word of God, it’s a painful thing because we are immediately drawn to know the depths of our infractions against the infinitely perfect God of all creation. Paul writes, “For godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10). And Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 1:18, “With much wisdom comes much sorrow; as knowledge increases, grief increases.”
Psalm 119:49-50 says, “Remember Your word to Your servant; You have given me hope through it. This is my comfort in my affliction: Your promise has given me life.”
I don’t necessarily find knowing my infractions against God to be a joyous occasion. Certainly, I think that the salvation that comes upon us will produce infinite joy, and we will be comforted by God’s promise of rescue, as Psalm 119:49-50 says, “Remember Your word to Your servant; You have given me hope through it. This is my comfort in my affliction: Your promise has given me life.”
My own turning to God was not an easy occurrence. I fought against it for 15 years. I wrestled with God and lived my own way, and yet, after this battle, His infinite joy has claimed me as His own, and I seek to produce a crop 30, 60, or even 100 times more than just myself. But it wasn’t easy.
The Gate is Narrow
And so we come to the point: a conversion easily won is not a conversion easily held. Jesus explains this clearly to the disciples that the ones who shot up easily in joy, in happiness, did not last long because the second a struggle came up, they turned away. It didn’t even take much: “’they immediately stumble.’”
Mark 4, verses 18-19 give us a bigger picture: “’Others are sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the Word, but the worries of this age, the seduction of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful.’”
These people whom the world chokes and stumbles find it easy to come to God because they are not giving up the things that keep them away from God, and this easy conversion makes for a just as easy deconversion. They are looking at the narrow gate and trying to walk the broad path. They want the joy but are unwilling to make the sacrifice.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:13-14, “’Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.’” It is not easy to come to Christ. The gate is narrow and the path just as small.
Coming to Christ is a Fight
If you find it easy to come to Christ, it is likely that you are missing something because our very flesh rebels against this cause, and our unclean spirits will aid the flesh until the Holy Spirit takes over the fight for us. But it is a fight, and it is not a fight easily won. I think Jesus is very clear about this. I think all of scripture is very clear about this.
God wants to produce in us His righteousness and character, but these fruits are not ones that come easily; rather, they take all of our self-control, aided by the Holy Spirit, to cast off the flesh and put on His righteousness each day. This is why we work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
The seed can be planted in a day, but the root takes time and difficulty and hardship and nutrients to grow. Acceptance of the seed with no root leads to a spiritual life that is easily choked out, but a deeply installed root in the grace of Christ will lead to a crop that produces multitudes. It is not easy, and it is not always joyous, but a fight with the grief of knowing our depravity will bring you to the full-fledged joy of Christ.