Yes, Christianity is Hard, and That’s a Good Thing

Tell me if this sounds tempting: A “simple faith” that involves you, Jesus, and the Bible. No church. No dogma. No traditions. Just believe and be saved. It’s tempting, but is that the way it’s supposed to be, and is it the best for our spiritual growth?

It’s normal for us to want things to be easy. We want instant gratification. But, when you read the gospels, especially what Jesus had to say about being his follower, it’s easy to see he’s calling for us to embrace something more difficult and more meaningful.

Yes, Christianity is hard, and that’s a good thing. Here’s why.

Pick Up Your Cross

In Luke 9:23, Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their crosses daily and follow me.”

On the surface, that sounds somewhat benign and poetic, but it was anything but to the people Jesus was speaking to. People in that time understood exactly what Jesus meant by taking up your cross.

The cross was a Roman instrument of death, shame, and torture. People in Jesus’ time saw executions by crucifixion regularly. They knew what the journey of the cross meant. Carrying this heavy wooden beam, being beaten, over a long distance, which eventually led to your death.

In this passage, Jesus is telling the people (and us) that following him isn’t easy. You’re most likely going to suffer. You’ll be mocked and hated. You’ll be tempted. You’ll fall. You’ll struggle.

That’s the way of the cross.

Why Following is Hard

To be a disciple of Christ means denying yourself, surrendering yourself, serving others when you want to be served, forgiving when you don’t want to forgive, obeying even when it costs you, and accepting the trials that come with living in this fallen world.

Our culture often mocks or misrepresents the Christian faith. Many Christians still face ridicule and persecution in some countries, and the Catholic church gets a lot of shade (some deserved) thrown its way.

If you look at the lives of the early believers and the saints, you’ll see people who suffered greatly for their faith, many to the point of imprisonment or execution. Right off the bat, Christianity proved to be a difficult religion to follow if you wanted an easy life.

Difficult Things are Good for Us

When I moved to my current town about 20 years ago, I gained a lot of weight. I had a terrible diet, a desk job, and little to no exercise. I knew I had to do something, but losing the weight, eating better, and getting into shape was an uphill battle that I didn’t want to take.

But I did. I committed to eating healthier, lowering my calories, and exercising every day. I lost the weight and kept it off. Was it hard? Yes, but it was worth it.

Doing difficult things refines us. Struggles purify our character and draw us closer to God. It separates shallow faith from a deep commitment — the commitment that Christ is asking us to undertake when he tells us to pick up our crosses.

You've heard the saying, "What doesn't kill me only makes me stronger," and that's largely true. There are thousands of examples of people who endured immense suffering only to have that suffering mold them into better, stronger people.

A few that come to mind are:

St. John of the Cross. St. John was imprisoned and abused by his brothers, but used the suffering to deepen his mystical theology, giving the Church The Dark Night of the Soul.

St. Teresa of Avila, one of my favorite saints, battled poor health, ridicule, and even suspicion from the Inquisition. That suffering strengthened her to reform the Carmelite order.

As mentioned, there are countless stories like this, some Christian, others not, but the point is, struggles shape us and make us better people. I’d argue that everything worthwhile in life is difficult.

Getting a degree is difficult. Marriage is difficult. Raising kids is difficult. Staying healthy is difficult.

If you want to grow in your faith and draw closer to Jesus and live a life of true purpose, you have to embrace the idea that your faith walk is supposed to be hard.

Christianity goes against human nature. We’re told to forgive our enemies and do good to those who hate us. We’re called to endure ridicule and even death for the faith.

A true follower of Christ is one who’s willing to sacrifice themselves, to deny themselves, and that’s hard, especially in today’s world. And when you put other sufferings on top of that, well, it can get disheartening and make you want to give up.

The difficulty of following Jesus isn’t a flaw — it’s a feature. The world sells you comfort and an easy life, and most people are content to embrace that. But fulfillment and growth don’t come when things are easy; they come when things are hard.

My Hardships

If you’re like me, you might read a book or watch YouTube videos on topics like this and think, “That’s easy for you to say, you’re not me.”

It’s true. I’m not you, and the people in the videos aren’t me. I’ve learned that people are good at masking what’s happening in their lives. It’s easy to look at some people and think they’ve got it all together when, in reality, they’re suffering tremendously under the surface.

I’m sure people think that of me. I put on a good face when I’m out, but at home, in church, I’m a wreck. I suspect that most of us are.

It would be so easy to give up. Just like it would be so easy to go back to my old habits and gain my weight back, or stop believing and go back to a life of sin. But that’s not what’s best for me.

The Rewards are Worth It

Finally, while Jesus said the road wouldn’t be easy, he did say it would be worth it. In Matthew 16:25, he says, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

That’s the promise of the gospel: you give up your life, and in return, you receive a better one — eternal life, full of joy, peace, and the presence of God.

If you’re struggling with the faith (I do every day), take heart. You’re not doing it wrong — you’re probably doing it right. Every struggle you overcome or manage brings you closer to Jesus. He took up his cross, walked the road, and died to give us the example.

Yes, Christianity is hard, and that’s a good thing.