I remembered the first time my family and I went up to Mount Seymour with our closest
family friends to go snowtubing a few years ago. At first, my heart was pounding as I rode
the tire tube and was so scared that I might overshoot and fall off the mountain never to
be heard of again. Eventually the fear turned into whoops of laughter, bubbling out of me
as I went down the mountain like a bullet. We were all laughing out loud and felt
exhilarated that we have survived the ordeal, and then we trekked up the mountain to start
all over again.
As I reflected on this experience, I started to correlate that snowtubing is almost like
our trek to follow the Lord. At first, you feel scared as you are unsure what will happen
to your life if you decide to follow Jesus’ teachings. Will my friends and loved ones
laugh at me or even reject me if I choose to attend prayer meetings and Sunday masses
rather than “hang-out” with them? Will people think that I am faking it, a hypocrite and
not worthy since I have often been a jerk in the past? Will my friends think that I’m
weird since I choose to sing Christian songs (out loud & with raised hands mind you…) and
be active in the church rather than go to the pub to drink liquor with them? To some
people, following in the foot steps of our Lord is not “cool” since the path towards
holiness is often frowned upon; it is a path not a lot of people take as it curtails
selfish pleasures.
Let me tell you that following God entails tough decision making, since being His
disciple often is a difficult & uncomfortable undertaking, as it necessitates curtailing
reckless and hurtful behaviors, loving people even if they are unlovable, understanding
even if you yourself are misunderstood and criticized, turning down invitations to
pleasurable parties because it is in conflict with the mass or prayer meeting. You will
need a sacrificial and loving heart, a willingness and determination to trust God even in
times of trials and hardships. It has always been said that there is love where there is
sacrifice and that Jesus will be with you and in you in times of joy and pain.
After all that is said and done, you must decide to follow Him as it is His will, it is
our destiny and purpose in life to be His. Once you made the leap and decide in faith to be
His disciple, your heart will be at peace because you know at last that you are home, it is
where that you belong.
Yes, following God sometimes feels like sliding down a steep mountain and falling off a
cliff. It is scary, but I also believe that it is equally, if not more, rewarding. The
sacrifices are great, but the reward is peace, joy, love and most of all, everlasting life
with Him.
