Following God just Sucks!

March 1, 2011
Leadership Clip to Evernote
23

"Following God just sucks. (Sometimes)"

As much as you would hate to admit it, that is the truth. When we set our hearts to follow God no matter what, a HUGE price is paid. We suffer in our bodies, emotions, finances, families, friends and ministry. Our obedience to God touches every part of who we are.

Most times that touch brings great fulfillment, but other times it just…Sucks! In the heat of the battle, we are wounded, grow weary or see those dear to us suffer because we must follow God’s voice makes life very difficult. Even to the point of questioning should we go on.

If you know not of what I speak, I dare say you have never heard the voice of God. When God speaks and calls us to great things, pain is always a part of the calling. It was for…Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus & Paul. It will certainly be so for us!

Abraham- Leaving home when old, waiting for God for years! = Sucks

Moses- Wandering in the desert, but not going into the land = Sucks

David- Having a son rise against you and take your kingdom = Sucks

Jesus- Following God, betrayed by a friend, and falsely accused= Sucks

Paul- Being hated by those who once called you friend, and put in prison= Sucks

So what do we do…"For the Joy that is set before us…WE ENDURE!" We Arise and Shine, for the Glory of the Lord has risen on us. We see our momentary light afflictions as part of our crown, and we press in with joy! Joy? In the midst of the "Suckiness" yes! That is our calling.

Are you in a place right now that just sucks? Even though you know you are following God?

About artie: I'm the lead Pastor at Cornerstone, a Multi-Ethnic church in the heart of Orangeburg, South Carolina. Also the founder of the Comb Network.com, a movement to plant Multi-Ethnic, culturally relevant churches in smaller cities. I direct a gathering of small city leader called "The Sticks."

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  • http://www.compassioninactionsc.org Joe Bates

    Yes it does!! And it doesn’t! Great sacrifice means great reward. Since God uses our weaknesses as well as our strengths, the weaknesses tend to be the areas that hurt the most. The exercise analogy seems to fit perfectly. We don’t work the muscles that are the weakest because we don’t look macho or as effective as everyone else and it’s a LOT HARDER. When we recognize that in order to be the best version of ourselves, we have to develop those areas, then we push through until our weaknesses are strengths. Our calling is for our development as much as it is for everyone else’s. God can accomplish his goals with anyone but He chose me in order to make the best ME possible (and to show the world that He can even work with idiots).

  • http://www.mustardseedyear.com Jason

    Yes, yes I am. :(

    • http://artiedavis.com artie

      Sorry Jason, will be praying for you. I’m in one of the ‘Sucky" places too.

  • http://www.lpimage.com Brandon

    Sin is what sucks. And hard times suck less when you know they are coming. You must keep in the back of your mind that things are going to happen, and could happen anytime.

    Following God doesn’t even come close to sucking in comparison with what God gives in return. In the moment it may feel like it sucks, but that’s because we are small and finite. We can’t see the big picture sometimes.

    • http://artiedavis.com artie

      That’s so true Brandon, it’s just a momentary "Suckiness" but when in it, it can cloud the Truth! That’s the point, it isn’t what it seems. But ‘feels" that way.

  • http://twitter.com/gamma909/status/42607484862607360/ Jim Liberatore (@gamma909) (@gamma909)

    Following #God just Sucks! – http://bit.ly/eobDFL

  • http://twitter.com/kathwyo/status/42624496502448128/ Kathy Sanford (@kathwyo)

    Following God just Sucks! – http://bit.ly/eobDFL

  • http://twitter.com/GennaDC/status/42651979587125248/ Genevieve Williams (@GennaDC)

    RT @tgmason: REMINDER: "pain is always a part of the calling…": http://ow.ly/45JhT (Great post by @ArtieDavis)

  • John

    It certainlly can suck at times but im gratefull to have God to follow because he’s leading me into the eternal light whereas when i follow myself it’s into the darkness.

    • http://artiedavis.com artie

      Amen, John. There are always "suffering in following our King! But so worth it!

  • Caddyman617

    I think he’s a total Dickhead. He has painted me in corners and then laughed at me in my strife. I say God is a F***.

  • http://antwuanmalone.com/ Antwuan Malone

    Agreed my friend. I think it sucks the most when you aren’t sure what/where God is going. It’s hard to keep the faith in those times… at least for me.

  • Mcdrey010

    Yep. Right there. Sucks…

  • http://www.mustardseedyear.com Jason Wert

    Oh yes.  My entire year has been all about it.

    • Anonymous

      I pray you "Sucky Season" draws to a swift end Jason. I pray you will soon begin to enjoy a great harvest from those seeds that were sown in obedience and sacrifice.

  • http://twitter.com/J_Dlard John Drouillard

    Artie I can’t say that I agree with you. Most of the things that happened to those you site are because of their disobedience or sinful past. (except for Jesus) They did not have things happen to them that suck purely because they followed God. When sucky (is that a word?) things happen we do need to keep our eyes on Him. That being said following Jesus isn’t always a bed of roses. God Bless!

  • Joanne Deherrera

    Yep, but through it all it is out of pure agape love for all others do we suffer. We learn by suffering, grow, and by others sufferings we strive to become those of helpers for His kingdom. He requires us to love fully just as His Son did for us, and He needs us all to forgive just as He, and His Son did. Could I forgive a mother who beat me, who in hernlast breath of life said to me, I shouldnhave beaten you more as a kid? Yes, but only with and through the help of the Holy Trinity was I able to forgive. I learned if we really ask for anything we will get if we knock on the door too seek His face, to heal those who need it. Ask and ye shall receive it, but only by knocking for His purpose do we receive.

    • Anonymous

      Good word Joanne. So true, thanks for sharing your heart.

  • Robby Pearson

    I agree, but the deep passion to make an eternal positive difference for the kingdom outweighs the suckiness!

    • Anonymous

      True that, thanks Robby.

  • http://twitter.com/The_Merrill Michael Merrill

    Interesting wording with a redeeming conclusion. Right now my life doesn’t suck, but I’ve experienced enough of "the suck" in the years past to actually miss it.  Yes, I sometimes miss my life sucking.  It is through those times when I’ve had to rely on God the most, and the suffering and pain gave birth to joy and spiritual growth. Happiness is fleeting and disappears in the presence of pain, but joy remains through the hard times if our hearts are truly seeking the things of God.

    I’ll be honest.  I’m struggling with your first paragraph.  It’s true, the commands of god do have a burden.  But the wording of your first paragraph doesn’t seem to line up with Matthew 11:30.  The word "yoke" or zygos, does acknowledge there is a burden.  But it clearly says it is easy and light, not a HUGE price to pay.  I’m not challenging you, I’m just wondering if you can help me understand.

    • Anonymous

      Thanks Michael, I’ll try and explain. The commands of God are different than the "call" of God. The Call is given individually, and the commands of God are to universally obeyed. We are responsible to fulfill the call, all the while obeying the commands.

      Like Paul, he had a call to the Gentiles. A call for which he suffered greatly… Beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked… all that stuff really sucks! Not everyone gets a great call like that. But the greater the call, the higher the price…the greater the suckiness.

      Hope that helps.

      • http://twitter.com/The_Merrill Michael Merrill

        Yes, that makes complete sense to me now. Setting our hearts to follow the call of God changes the context quite a bit… And in that context, my life totally sucks. Ministry certainly does take a toll. I’ve found if the time I spend doing ministry isn’t proportional to the time I spend in the word and with God, the greater the feeling of suckiness. The longer I drive, the more gas I need. 

        Thanks for taking the time to help me understand.