Difficult

In John 6:60-71 we read of the response of many of Jesus' disciples to His teaching about how He was the bread of life. Many of Jesus' disciples did not believe Him and rejected His words. John 6:66 (NKJV) says, "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more." Their abandonment of Jesus was absolute.

As it was then, so it is now.

Many people are leaving the faith today. It is too difficult for them. Many do not have the endurance and perseverance necessary for an authentic Christian walk. Others fall prey to the slick words and easy promises of false prophets and false teachers. 1 John 2:19 (NKJV) says, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us."

It is difficult to follow Jesus. It is not an easy path to take. It will be hard to do. Perseverance and endurance are crucial to it. Beware of anyone that tells you that it is easy to do. It decidedly is not. In Matthew 7:14 (NKJV), Jesus says, "Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." "Few," Jesus says. Salvation comes by grace alone, but salvation is not easy, and grace is not cheap.

Know that the path of the narrow gate is a difficult one. Persevere. Endure. Do not abandon the narrow gate for the wide one. For as difficult as it may be, only the narrow gate leads to heaven.