The Easy Road

Why do we pray for and expect God to give us the easy road to our promises? Have you ever thought about what He allowed His Son to go through to save you? 

I wonder if Mary wondered why God didn’t make it easier on her. After an angel visited her with the good news, things just kept getting tougher.  I wonder if she wondered why God’s plan for her included traveling a 100 miles to Bethlehem on the back of a donkey, while nine months pregnant. I wonder if she was thinking where is that angel now, he didn’t mention this part. 

I am definitely guilty of asking God for an easy road to my dreams. Once Mary and Joseph finally arrived in Bethlehem, surely things got easier. Except they didn’t, as there were no rooms available. Come on God, you could not have pulled that off? 

Don’t act like you are not asking that same question. Joseph even had to clean out the animal food from the manger and throw together some swaddling blankets and hay to create a throne to place the newborn King. 

Would Jesus life be any easier? We know Jesus dad Joseph was a builder, but we don’t know why he was not around after Jesus baptism at age 30. His earthly father was no longer in his life, He had a bunch of nobody followers, and He had a death sentence from birth, it seems that Jesus was given the most challenging road of all. 

We all have our stories, but why do we continually beg God to make our paths straight and easy. 

I am all about favor. Mary was highly favored and even Jesus grew in favor, but about 50 miles into that donkey ride to Bethlehem, I doubt Mary was thanking God for His favor. 

My point is this. We have to learn to trust God no matter the size of the challenges you face in your journey. We have to be thankful even while not enjoying easy street. 

If we can learn this valuable concept, then when we learn to endure. According to James 1:12, it is then that we win the prize.