simple and hard

I was reminded today that following Jesus is not always an easy thing to do. As you read through the gospels and take in the things Jesus said you see that they are very simple requests:

Love your neighbour
love your enemy
follow me
bless those who persecute you
Go...
preach the good news

These are not hard to understand, but they can be hard to live out - How do you follow someone you can't even see? How can you love when you are emotionally ship-wrecked? How can you love when you feel like hating? How do you bless when you don't feel blessed?

Following Jesus sounds simple, but can be very hard. we're asked even by Christ to 'count the cost' and to 'take up our cross'. There are amazing times when it's all sunshine and smiles and times when we feel like we're trudging for miles in the slough of despondancy. It takes faith to take this jouney of following Jesus. Faith hopes for what it does not see and helps us carry what we cannot bear. Faith unites us with Christ who says 'come to me all of you who are tired and heavy-laden'.

Does following Jesus seem hard? simply put, have faith and keep on. It's simple, it's hard and it takes faith. He never said it would be easy, but we'll get there with his help. We might be following him, but in a mystical way...
...he's also walking with us.