Be careful of what you long for.

I Sam. 8:19-20 But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they said. “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will govern us and lead us into battle.”

The problem most people have with God is found in today’s verses. We want what we want. We want to fit into the crowd and be like those around us. We don’t like standing out and being different. We don’t want to be confronted with the opposition of those who oppose us. It is much easier to blend in than it is to take a stand and be different.

What we must accept is that as believers, we are different. We live in a world that is ruled by the demonic forces of hell. It is a dark world encased in sin and is opposed to God and his kingdom. There is a spiritual war going on and it will not cease until Jesus comes to take the church out of the world. Don’t kid yourself; you will face opposition if you are living in and through Christ. If your life is an easy road to heaven, you are not living in submission and obedience to Christ, and that is simply the way it is.

Jesus said that the people in darkness don’t come to the light because they don’t want to have their deeds exposed. Misery loves company and those who aren’t living in the misery of sin will not be looked upon kindly by those who are. It is important that we understand this. Dear friend, the Lord does not call us into a life of comfort. He commands us to go into the world, knowing full well that we will face great opposition from the world. We are called to be faithful to Christ in spite of the difficulties we face. We are to be lights in the darkness instead of letting the darkness squelch or consume our lights.

The world does not want us around. It does not want to listen to us. It often will treat us unkindly. But, let us never forget; greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. Christ has overcome the world and as long as we are faithful in our walk with him, so are we. Don’t let the world silence your witness for Him.