Wishing for the Easy Life

There are days when I wish for an easy life; I want to lie around and fall asleep at any time in any situation, just as my dogs do. They aren’t bothered by the worries and trials of life. Although they enjoy chasing various critters in the yard and alerting me to the dangers of anyone who walks down the front sidewalk, they immediately forget it and focus on the nap or food before them. They have servants (primarily me) to cater to their every wish for food, water, playmates, walks, and comfy places to sleep.

Why is life so hard for us? Why can’t we live like dogs? Three thoughts come quickly to mind.

First, God has made us in his own image. As image-bearers we have the ability to think more clearly and rationally than any animal. We are able to understand what God reveals about himself, and we have the privilege of entering a relationship with him. With those blessings comes responsibility for the care of other people and the creation around us. Sleep doesn’t come quite so easily when we face difficulties and must make hard decisions.

Second, God has designed the difficulties of life to make us more like Jesus. He promises to use them to revolutionize our thinking and our actions. The easy life doesn’t lend itself to growing in selflessness, love, and faithfulness, but enduring trials does (James 1:2-4).

Third, some of the problem is our own—at least in my life. I fail to trust God when things around me are hard. I want God to take the hardship away while I think of options within my own power to make it disappear. Instead, God calls us to share those burdens with him in prayer and trust him with the outcome. If I really believe that he is a good God, a perfect God, a sovereign God, I will hand over my life and my future to him. Then, I can sleep anywhere at any time regardless of what is happening around me. That is truly the easy life—one of trust in a great and mighty God.

What have you learned about trusting God with what is hard in life?