Most of us instinctively know there are difficulties in the Christian life. Yet some naively believe that if you love God and serve Him, life will flow smoothly. That idea isn’t found in the pages of Scripture—what we do find is serving God is hard. 

Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). In the Sermon on the Mount, He declared, “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14).

The Christian walk is hard because of the opposition we face. Everything we believe is out of sync with the fallen world around us, from creation, to morality, to our lifestyle.

Yet despite all the unrighteousness in the world, Jesus said, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

That’s difficult. It’s not natural to not retaliate when you’re being mistreated or attacked. But remember: Opposition is normal. Get used to it. Whenever you attempt to accomplish anything for God, you’re going to be opposed and criticized.

This should be encouraging. If you’re being opposed, you’re a threat. Because when you become God’s friend, you become the enemy of the world, which opposes God. You become a target of Satan himself.

Jesus said, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19).

Opposition comes with the territory. “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

In his book The Fight, John White speaks about spiritual warfare, Satan, and demons: “If you play it cool and decide not to be a fanatic about Christianity, you will have no trouble from them. But if you are serious about Christ being your Lord and God, you can expect opposition.”

But the good news is that opposition is conquerable. The Bible says we are “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37).

Notice the prayer in Nehemiah 4:4-5, when they were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, with opposition on all sides:

“Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity! Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before You.”

It’s a harsh prayer, but God is sovereign. Never be afraid to tell God anything that is on your heart. Charles Spurgeon said, “There’s no secret of my heart that I would not pour into the Lord's ears.” He can handle it.

Nehemiah’s men rebuilt the wall, and they kept at it despite the opposition. “Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night” (v. 9). 

Work without prayer is atheism. Prayer without work is presumption. So prayer and work—together.  

In this spiritual battle we face, we have a real enemy who is malevolent and intelligent, and he has a host of helpers. But “we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11). They are outlined in God's Word. Read it. Learn to fight.

Yes, serving the Lord can be hard, but it’s worth it. And it beats the alternative.