Resources/Articles
What Is It Like?
What is it like being a parent?
You pray and pray, teach and teach, correct and correct, but you still have problems with at least one of your children. If your child could only see the tears you shed, the concerned and disappointed look on your face, or the times you have bowed your head in prayer, maybe they would understand what it is like being a parent. Maybe your children would see how much you love them. If they could see how much you try, maybe it would make a difference in the way the behave. If your child knew how much money you spend for them, they would not ask you all the time for money. If they knew you were working three jobs, they would help around the house more instead of watching TV so much.
What it is like being a parent is being pressured by the world to have your children be accepted and liked by others (Romans 12:2). It is like wanting to take your child of of an immoral, violent, and abusive world and put them in a bubble, protecting them from being physically, emotionally, or spiritually hurt and damaged for the rest of their lives (John 17:15-21). You want to put a security system around their ankles and have them “shocked” by all the ugly things they hear and see in the world so they will not touch, say, or believe the wrong things (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22).
What it is like being a parent is learning the responsibility God gave you to train your children in the righteous ways of God (Ephesians 6:4). It is like making decisions which are not popular with your children’s hearts but are made to direct their hearts toward God. Being a parent is like planting a seed and every year seeing its growth and the fruit it produces. As long as you are the parent, believe what God wants you to do. Trust and hope in His way of being a parent. Do your best with the grace He provides. Give God the rest.
What is it like being a Christian?
If your friends only knew what it was like to keep your life pure, they would not tempt you so much. If your family only knew what it was like to be a Christian, they would accept your invitation to have a Bible study and come to a worship service. If your boss knew what it was like to be a Christian, maybe he would not ask you to work during a worship service. Being a Christian is like having a job where coworkers do not care who you are. They curse, swear, and dress immodestly without respect for what you believe. Being a Christian is like having few friends to associate with because you believe in God and they do not care.
What it is like being a Christian is trying to teach someone the gospel and they will not obey (Romans 1:16). It is like dressing modestly for worship services, but everyone wants to be comfortable and trendy in what they wear without respect for God (John 4:23-24). Being a Christian is being asked, “What do you believe about ______?” only to hear them respond with, “Oh” (1 Peter 3:14-16). It is like not attending a family reunion because it interferes with a scheduled worship service you plan to attend (Hebrews 10:24-25). It is like choosing to be with the family of God over being with your biological family (Luke 14:25-27). Being a Christian is like standing alone for what is right while others look at you in shock, criticism, or like you are strange (1 Peter 4:4).
What it is like being a Christian is putting off the old man and putting on the new (Colossians 3:9-15). It is understanding Christ is the one who saved me and to whom I give my life (Galatians 2:20). It is like understanding someone in the world does not like people who live soberly, righteously, and godly in this world (Titus 2:13-14). It is like living in joy, hope, without worry, and thinking on good things (Philippians 4:4-8). Being a Christian is like making decisions which are not popular with the world but are well pleasing in the eyes of God (Hebrews 11:6). As long as you are a Christian, believe what God wants you to do. Trust and hope in His way of being a Christian. Believe in who God wants you to be. Do your best with the grace He provides. Give God the rest.
