As I have been on the Race for almost 8 months now I have seen Jesus acknowledged as Lord in every single country. I am now an established team leader (still not sure what all that requires of me), people back home appear to see me as a “Super Christian” who never falls, as if my life is perfect without fault or stumbling, and I feel like people tend to think that once Christ comes into their life all things will work out. And I tend to be the model for this belief.
You see, grandiose testimonies (such as ones I have posted on my blog while on the Race) create the impression that once Jesus Christ is acknowledged as Lord, the Christian life becomes a picnic on a green lawn- marriage blossoms into poetic bliss, physical health flourishes, acne disappears, and sinking careers suddenly soar.
The VICTORIOUS life is proclaimed to mean that everybody is a winner. An attractive twenty-year-old accepts Jesus and becomes Miss America; a tenth-round draft choice for the Steelers goes to the Super Bowl. Miracles occur, conversions abound, church attendance skyrockets, ruptured relationships get healed, shy people become sociable, and the Red Sox actually beat the Yankees in the World Series.
However, if you ask me, what makes authentic disciples is not visions, ecstasies, biblical mastery of chapter and verse, or spectacular success in the ministry, but a capacity for faithfulness. This year of my life has easily been the most challenging, difficult, and stressful years of my life. Buffeted by the fickle winds of failure, battered by my own unruly emotions, and bruised by rejection and ridicule. Thus, I believe authentic disciples may stumble and frequently fall, endure lapses and relapses, get handcuffed to the fleshpots, and wander into a far country, Yet they keep coming back to Jesus.
After life has lined their faces a little, many followers of Jesus come into a coherent sense of themselves for the first time. When they modestly claim, “I am still broken, tired, weak, and hungry, but I’m different,” they are right. Where sin abounds, grace abounds more.
By all means, this year has been the most glorious year of my life and I love every second of it! But one must understand that following Christ is filled with sacrifice, struggles, temptation, hope, faith, love, compassion, frustration, confusion, emptiness, joy, laughter, tears, sorrow, mercy, peace, and so much more! Following Christ is so worth it, I am sold out on Him and I will never turn back.
