As Christians, we struggle. We struggle to keep our faith. We struggle against sin. We struggle to hear the voice of God. We struggle to keep our relationships with our brethren healthy. Jezus was not making a joke, when He said that any who wants to walk in His footsteps, should take up their cross and follow.

24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matt 16:24-26 New King James Version

The good fight

By using the symbol of the cross, Jezus was letting us know that the struggle is real. The cross has been an ever present torture device all through history and in many places. Those condemned to the cross, were awaiting a painful struggle, they would eventually lose, but not quickly.

The only way we survive the struggle is by staying close to Him. This staying close to Him, is not meant in a figurative way. A Christian should increase the points of contact with JEHOVAH as much as possible, if he or she wants to keep the faith, as Paul mentioned in his second letter to Timothy.

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 New King James Version

Arranging a Christian life

We, as Christians are only able to fight the good fight, by cultivating a few important habits. Calling them habits seems to disrespectful, but the truth is that this is the only way to stay the course. Depending on willpower is futile. Especially since our own human nature is actively pulling us in the other direction. The same goes for the world we live in.

I am sure, most Christians have heard the state ones faith is in described as a certain temperature. ‘He is lukewarm’. This is actually a Bible reference and not something people just came up with. In the book of Revelations chapter 3, the Church of Laodicea is reprimanded that they are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold.

As it is mentioned that they will be spit out for that reason, it is clear that being lukewarm is not the right temperature.

Don’t get separated

So how do you stay as hot as possible, while struggling? You stay close to the fire (Hebrews 10:25). Just as the case with coals. Leave them in a hot pile, and they will keep each other as hot as possible. Pull one out of the pile, and it will lose its temperature and go cold.

25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:25 New King James Version

This has nothing to do with how you feel. That’s why habits are so important. A habit is something you do, however your emotional state. Is that not in conflict with the fact that God wants us to make a conscious choice for Him? Not if you have chosen en constructed these habits very consciously, to maintain your proximity to the fire and the rest of the coals.

The essential habits

What are these temperature securing habits? We all know them as Christians, but let’s reiterate: Prayer, Bible reading and attending the services at Church. The first two are obvious. Having conversations with God and reading His message/letter/manual. Attending Church services is the one thing many Christians think they can do without.

When attending, it is not only enough that we just sit in the pew and consume, we need to be active in the community. It gives us the opportunity to practice what He preaches in our own house, before we step out and do the same in the world outside.

The physical proximity to and interaction with other Christians, with all their flaws, but also with their fire, enables us to continue the struggle and survive it.

So even if you don’t feel like it:
Pray (even if it ‘just’ the Lord’s prayer)
Read the Bible (even if it is one verse every time) and
Attend the services (even if that is the only thing you do and participating otherwise is not in the cards for you).