“For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:14).
There it is! Those four little words, “the way is hard,” completely dispel the heretical teachings that say if things are going wrong then there is either sin in our lives or we lack faith. The way IS hard. We are not promised anywhere in the Word that we will be trouble and problem free.
What we ARE told is that, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name, you are mine. WHEN you pass THROUGH the waters, I will be WITH you; and THROUGH the rivers, they shall NOT overwhelm you; WHEN you walk THROUGH fire you shall NOT be burned, and the flame shall NOT consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (Isaiah 43:1-5). Along with Paul we can say, “I CAN do ALL things THROUGH him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
Regardless of how “hard” life gets, we can be assured our Lord is there with us as we pass THROUGH to the other side. But we need to expect “hard” times because it is “the way.”