Resisting the Lure of Comfort: Overcoming the Temptation to Covet an Easy Life
You can Overcome!!!
The desire for comfort and ease is something we all wrestle with at times. When life gets hard, it’s natural to long for a simpler path, one without the struggles and challenges that test our endurance. But as believers, we are not called to live in the comfort of ease; we are called to persevere through hardship with the knowledge that something far greater awaits us. The Israelites, during their time in the wilderness, provide us with a cautionary tale of what happens when we covet comfort over God’s calling.
The Israelites: Longing for Egypt's Comfort
In Exodus 16:3, the Israelites, having been delivered from slavery in Egypt, faced the challenges of the wilderness. Instead of trusting in God’s provision, they began to grumble, saying, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” They remembered Egypt, not for the oppression they had endured but for the fleeting comforts they had experienced.
The Israelites’ longing for the ease of Egypt over the challenges of the wilderness demonstrates how quickly we can covet comfort when the road becomes difficult. Instead of seeing the wilderness as part of their journey to the Promised Land, they romanticized their past, choosing to focus on temporary comforts rather than the freedom and blessings God had for them in the future.
Persevering Through Hardship
When we covet comfort, we lose sight of the fact that God often uses hardship to shape us and grow our faith. James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Hardships are not meant to be avoided or resented—they are opportunities for spiritual growth. When we embrace the challenges of life, trusting in God’s goodness, He uses them to develop perseverance in us. Coveting ease or comfort short-circuits the growth process that God desires for us. Instead of focusing on how we can escape hardship, we should seek to understand what God is doing in us through it.
The Israelites wanted the comfort of Egypt, but God had something far better for them. He wanted to teach them dependence on Him, to trust Him as their provider, and to shape them into a people who would reflect His glory. Likewise, when we face difficulty, God is at work in our lives, strengthening our faith and preparing us for greater things.
Focusing on the Eternal Rest That Awaits
The Christian life is not about seeking comfort here on earth but about pressing forward to the eternal rest that God has promised us. Hebrews 4:9-11 speaks of this rest, saying, “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest.”
The Israelites were on a journey to the Promised Land, but their constant focus on comfort and ease caused them to lose sight of that destination. In the same way, when we covet a life free from hardship, we risk losing sight of the eternal rest that awaits us in Christ. Our focus should not be on temporary comfort but on the eternal reward that comes from faithfully following God through every season of life.
As we persevere through trials, we are reminded that this world is not our home. The struggles we face here are temporary, and the rest that God promises us is eternal. Instead of longing for ease now, we should fix our eyes on the rest that awaits us, trusting that God’s plan is worth every difficulty we encounter.
Practical Ways to Overcome Coveting Comfort
Shift Your Focus to Eternity: When you find yourself longing for an easier life, remind yourself of the eternal rest that awaits. Meditate on passages like Hebrews 4:9-11 to refocus on God’s promise.
Embrace Trials as Growth Opportunities: Instead of resenting hardship, view it as an opportunity for growth. Ask God what He is teaching you through the challenges you face.
Develop a Heart of Gratitude: In the midst of difficulty, practice gratitude. Thank God for His presence, provision, and the ways He is shaping you through your struggles.
Trust God’s Provision: When the path is hard, remind yourself that God is with you and will provide for your needs. Reflect on the ways He has been faithful to you in the past.
Encourage Others in Their Struggles: When you see others going through hardship, offer encouragement and support. Help them focus on God’s promises and the growth that comes through perseverance.
Conclusion
The Israelites’ longing for the comfort of Egypt serves as a powerful reminder of how easily we can fall into the trap of coveting ease when life becomes difficult. Yet, God calls us to persevere, trusting that He is working in our lives through every trial and hardship.
When we embrace the challenges we face, recognizing them as part of God’s refining process, we grow in faith and character. And when we focus on the eternal rest that awaits us, we find the strength to endure the temporary difficulties of this life.
Let us resist the temptation to covet comfort and ease, choosing instead to persevere in faith and trust God’s perfect plan. The rest He has promised us is far greater than any temporary ease this world can offer, and it’s worth every step of the journey.
May we walk faithfully through the wilderness, knowing that God’s ultimate rest is ahead.
