In the first reading today from Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas tell the faithful, "It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God." Wait...this is good news?
It's an interesting point, and it begs the question: Why? Why is it necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God? For starters, Jesus never promised His disciples a life of ease. Quite the contrary. He warned them many times about what they would encounter when they followed Him. He wasn't kidding.
Can you imagine a life without hardships? If everything broke our way all the time and life was easy, what need would there be for faith in God? Hardships can (and should) help us strengthen our "faith muscles." They teach us the importance of relying on God. So in the end, undergoing hardships is actually good for us. Thus, the necessity.
Father, may the hardships we face today help us grow in strength and faith. Amen.
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