rebelling against low expectations

Life Is a Gift, So Start Living Like It

By Alathia Hayes
April 29, 2016
94 comments
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There are days where all I want to do is curl up in a dark corner, cower in defeat, and lament my life.

Nothing goes the way I think I deserve it should go. Whether in my family, relationships, at my work, or in my heart, my focus becomes misplaced and I begin pitying myself because life is not all it was once cracked up to be.

Life hurts. I know.

But I’ve been learning some pretty interesting lessons about life…lessons about the good days, and about the painful, hard days as well.

1. We are called to a hard life.

Jesus said in Luke 9:23 that any who want to be worthy of following Him should pick up his own cross and follow Him wholeheartedly.

To a first century Jew, the cross was a symbol of torture, humiliation, and shame … who in their right mind would want to pick up that?

Here’s where the rubber of doing hard things meets the road. Following Jesus isn’t supposed to be easy.

It’s supposed to glorify the Father. That often requires pain, and virtual death to our selfish desires, lusts and egos.

We, as Christians, are called to doing hard things more than I once realized, and more often than my comfort-seeking heart wants.

2. We are called to a purposeful life.

We are created to be loved by God and glory in His excellent name. We see this truth in many Bible passages such as Ephesians 2:10. We are here to glorify Him.

He could have been done with us after Eve ate the forbidden fruit. He could have wiped us out and started over. But He loved us and He is faithful. He made a way for us to be with Him forever because of love.

That unwavering love is what gives you and me purpose.

3. We are given a beautiful life.

I know heartache. I know pain. I know life can be incredibly hard. I also know that life can be so incredibly beautiful.

From the miracle of grace to the miracle of you and me breathing, this life truly leaves me in awe.

We don’t deserve this life. We don’t deserve our breathing privileges. We don’t deserve to feel full after a meal, have a hot shower, or get to work on time.

We, as humans, deserve nothing less than Hell, forever. Yet here we are. Cherished. Loved. Able to be satisfied. Smothered in grace. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?

So yes, life is hard.

Life is also a beautiful, generous gift from God.

How could the world be changed if our generation started living like that was true?

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Photo courtesy of Lauren Rushing and Flickr Creative Commons.

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About the author

Alathia Hayes

is a graciously forgiven college sophomore whose broken soul has been mended by the Author of life. She has a passion for helping children and other teens know how much they are loved. When she’s not studying, you will likely find her playing piano, sipping on a cup of coffee, perusing local used book shops, or participating in an epic round of Mario Kart with her brothers.

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By Alathia Hayes April 29, 2016
94 comments
rebelling against low expectations

The Rebelution is a teenage rebellion against low expectations—a worldwide campaign to reject apathy, embrace responsibility, and do hard things. Learn More →