It's HARD to be like Jesus.

We used this song in church Sunday as a reflection piece. Wow. The words in red are the ones that really spoke to me.....

Hard
Rich Mullins

Well, I am a good Midwestern boy
I give an honest day's work if I can get it
I don't cheat on my taxes, I don't cheat on my girl
I've got values that would make the White House jealous

Well, I do get a little much over-impressed
'Til I think of Peter and Paul and the apostles
I don't stack up too well against them I guess
But by the standards 'round here I ain't doing that awful

Lord, it's hard to turn the other cheek
Hard to bless when others curse you
Oh Lord, it's hard to be a man of peace
Lord, it's hard, oh it's hard,
You know it's hard to be like Jesus
Don't you know it's hard, oh it's hard,
Oh Lord, it's hard to be like Jesus

And it's hard to step out on them waves
Hard to walk beyond your vision
Oh Lord, it's hard to be a man of faith
Lord, it's hard (hard), Lord, it's hard (so hard),
Oh Lord, it's hard to be like Jesus
Don't you know it's hard (hard), oh it's hard (yeah hard),
Oh Lord, it's hard to be like Jesus

Well, His eye's on the sparrow
And the lilies of the field I've heard
And He will watch over you and He will watch over me
So we can dress like flowers and eat like birds

And it's hard when your soul had been stripped bare
Hard to lift your eyes toward Heaven
Oh Lord, it's hard to be a man of prayer
Lord, it's hard, oh it's hard,
You know it's hard to be like Jesus

Lord, it's hard to be a man of peace
But it's hard (so hard), ain't it hard (hard),
You know it's hard to be like Jesus
Don't you know it's hard (hard), and it's hard (yeah hard)
To be a man of peace (hard, so hard)
But it's hard to be like Jesus

And I'm trying, trying, try
Oh Lord, I try so hard
Don't you know it's hard
Oh glory, oh gracious
But ain't it hard to be like Jesus

Well, I am a good Midwestern boy
I give an honest day's work if I can get it
I don't cheat on my taxes, I don't cheat on my girl
I've got values that would make the White House jealous

Being like Jesus is not easy at all. It's the hardest thing I've ever tried to do. Hard to love people that I don't like. Hard to love people that hurt me. Hard to love people that say mean things, or always have it in for you, make things hard for you. It's hard to love people I don't know. Hard to love people that are not like me.
It's hard to step out of the safety of the boat I'm in and on to the unstable water. Drowning is a pretty good bet. Sinking at the very least. Totally overwhelming unless I keep my eyes on Jesus. It's hard. It's hard to trust him for a future I can not see, and that he knows what's best even if it seems like it's the worst thing that could be happening at that moment. Hard to keep the vision when it seems like things just never work out the way you hoped. When all you can see is the glass half empty.
And it's hard when you've reached the very bottom. There's nowhere left to fall. No way up, or out. Total despair, overwhelming sadness and fear. It's hard to keep going. Trusting. Believing.
Don't let any one tell you anything different. It's HARD. But it's what we have been called to do.