Once you become a Christian, you will have no troubles, no sickness, no trials, and definitely no tribulations. People will love you all the time, your children will be perfect, you will never burn the dinner and everything will be coming up roses. Struggles? What’s that? Now that you decided to follow Jesus, you have left all of your turmoil in the past.
Just typing that made me laugh nervously under my breath, because I personally know better. It is a lie bigger than Texas.
My daughters always call me an “over-poster,” mainly because I routinely share all of our life details on social media. The over posting truly began when I started sharing my past struggles of growing up poor, making horrible decisions while navigating becoming a single mother with a half-empty nest, moving a child five states away, battling chubbiness, beginning a hobby of writing, and running for public office. Who doesn’t want to hear about all of that craziness?
One of the main reasons for the openness about our life in general was because I spent the last two decades of my life living the big Christian lie. I was pretending to be a perfect, front-row Baptist (not back row), with the perfect family who never experienced misery or adversity. But, one day God stopped me in my tracks and reminded me everyone has hills and valleys in life, even Christians. Or dare I say, especially Christians!
The transparency of our lives has been accompanied by blessings beyond measure. I cannot pass up the chance to share how Jesus has met us right where we are, during all of our struggles. We have never felt alone or abandoned by God. I could never truly verbalize how it fills my heart with joy to be stopped on the street only for someone to tell me, “you truly make me feel normal with your struggles” or “thank you for sharing because I was really feeling defeated”. Too many Christians pretend life is perfect just because they are saved.
It is truly the big Christian life. We will have hard times but we also have a savior.
The biggest blessing is actually getting on the other side of painful moments only to realize that you were not alone and God was actually busy making a way where there was no way.
Christians who do face hard times are not tempted to throw in the Christian towel. My daughters and I whole-heartedly know that there will be a stunning silver lining, a bountiful blessing, too many lessons to count, humor galore and beautiful moments. This is what it feels like to have peace that surpasses all understanding. We know life will have pitfalls but we already know the outcome.
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10
Reba Phelps jreba.phelps@gmail.com
