What's the hardest part of being a Christian?

[David Jerome]

In your experience, what's the most difficult part about being a Christian?

Also, what do you think is the most difficult Biblical doctrine to follow?

Thanks for your responses.

 

[Forge3]

Huh? I am not sure what is the hardest. I guess just following Jesus...

 

[Humble Pie]

Holding every thought captive to Christ and taming the tongue.
The hardest doctrine? Probably baptisim doctrine...the when and how of it.

 

[If Not For Grace]

OF being Christian: Forgiveness-(u know it's not required UNLESS someone did you WRONG)

Doctrine: Either the Trinity (1-3, 3ea. 3 n 1, ect) or Baptism (Water, Holy Spirit etc)

 

[Theofane]

What's the hardest part of being a Christian?

Good question! Is it one's inner life or his outer life? The inside of the cup or the outside of the cup?

 

[razeontherock]

what's the most difficult part about being a Christian?

Denying yourself

Also, what do you think is the most difficult Biblical doctrine to follow?

I don't think anyone's answered this. People have expressed difficulty understanding Trinity and Baptism. That puzzles me, since both seem fairly simple to me. As far as understanding goes, Christ's return. (In detail)

My answer to this question, actually following doctrine, makes this a repeat question of the above, with a repeat answer.

 

[secondtimearound]

The hardest part about being a Christian, for me, is giving into God's will.

Not judging others.

 

[ViaCrucis]

In your experience, what's the most difficult part about being a Christian?

Loving our neighbors.

Also, what do you think is the most difficult Biblical doctrine to follow?

"But I tell you, love your enemies."

Thanks for your responses.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[drich0150]

In your experience, what's the most difficult part about being a Christian?

None for his yoke is easy and His burden is truly light.

Also, what do you think is the most difficult Biblical doctrine to follow?

right now i am having alot of trouble with: Do not rebuke an older man Harshly.

 

[Sketcher]

I honestly believe it depends on your surroundings. Are there family pressures against being Christian or living as one should? Are there strong governmental or societal pressures against it, such as in the Middle East?

That said, putting your will aside for the sake of another's is never easy. Jesus even sweated blood under the strain of that conflict when the stakes were high enough. But we're expected to do that every day. We have the hope that we will become better people for it, and that such acts will do some good outside of our own lives. But that doesn't really make it easy, and the higher the stakes, the harder it gets.

 

[elman]

Loving our neighbors.



"But I tell you, love your enemies."



-CryptoLutheran

 

[Emmy]

Dear David Jerome. The hardest part for us is, to be " Reborn," to leave our selfishness behind, and change into loving children/sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. Jesus told us in Matthew, chapter 22, verses 35-40, " The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: Love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. Everything we say or do, or advocate or would ask for, has to be done from selfless love, freely given and no conditions asked. Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will give us His Love and Joy, also. Jesus told us to: " Ask and ye will receive," and then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with our neighbour.
God will see our sincere efforts, and God will bless us, AND God will know that we love Him. HOW? Because we are following God`s Commandments to love and care. Love is a Christian`s great weapon, and love will conquer all, and change all into "better and acceptable". To love might take longer to win all, but love will turn us into conquerors, worthy followers of our Saviour and Leader Jesus Christ.
Love changes not only things and occasions, love also changes men and women, and people will treat us the same, as they are treated by us, and there is no better way to show an imperfect world, how much better life with God, can be lived, and filled with Love and Joy. I say this with love, David. Greetings from Emmy, sister in Christ. P.S. The hardest part is: to make an unbelieving world see, the many wonderful benefits they are missing.

 

[stacymay]

Personally, the hardest thing for me is having doubts. Because my faith means a lot to me and I want so badly to believe and glorify God, it hurts when my faith is shaken.

I also have trouble sometimes discerning God's voice amidst so much chaos in the world today. With so many people professing different things, it confuses me.

That being said, it's worth it, and I always find the peace I need when I turn to God and ask for His guidance. Furthermore, I know that every hardship - especially spiritual issues - only bring us closer to God and grow us in our faith and character.

As for the second question, that's a lot harder to answer. The Bible asks us to be more than we could ever be, and the closest we can get is through Christ. I make a lot of mistakes, I get angry, I grumble, I experience and fail to temptation sometimes. That, I attribute to my humanity. In other words, it's hard for to follow most of the teachings that we are to be "perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect."

I also have trouble witnessing to others because I'm a very socially awkward, anxious, and introverted person. Fortunately I've had the opportunity to work on that lately. God bless!

 

[lucaspa]

In your experience, what's the most difficult part about being a Christian?

Also, what do you think is the most difficult Biblical doctrine to follow?

Thanks for your responses.

Trying to live up to the ideals set forth in the Great Commandment. Also, I find that "Thy will be done, on earth as well as in heaven" to be difficult. I sometimes want my will to be done.

 

[Lukaris]

Observing the 2 great commands to love God & neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40 etc.) according to the golden rule (Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31). We are to trust in grace to be saved & act on it (Ephesians 2:8-10) as we do this.

 

[Smashleigh17]

Most difficult part for me, at the moment, being a new Christian is so far transitioning from the way I was living before to following in God's Word the best I possibly can as well as learning to forgive people when they do me wrong and asking for forgiveness when I do wrong (I am legitimately the first person to pass the blame, last person to admit when I'm wrong/sorry and the person who can hold a petty grudge for the longest).

Hardest Doctrine to follow, for me, would be - Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. - 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (NIV)

 

[Ant1986]

For me I guess it's going left, when the whole world is going right. Being in the world but not of the world.

 

[joyfulhele]

For me is wonting to do things my own way ..

 

[joyfulhele]

keeping my thoughts right

 

[food4thought]

Hardest part of being a Christian? I mainly struggle with two things equally right now:

1) Recognizing the guidance of the Holy Spirit within my heart, as my mind is full of other thoughts and ideas, and discerning that still, small voice can be hard.

2) When I do recognize something as from God, and it is contrary to my selfish desires, dieing to myself and following after God's direction can be very hard.

Most difficult Biblical doctrine to follow? Depends on if you mean understand or obey...

The hardest one to obey is: "Be holy, for I am holy". My own nature wants to fit into the world, the world wants me to conform to it's ideas and standards. God calls us to be "holy", which means to be set apart and different, completely devoted to God and Him alone above all else.

Hardest one to understand:

How Jesus' human and Divine nature interacted. How exactly was He both completely Divine and completely human? A mystery not to be fully understood by finite human minds, IMO.