ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES?

 

Part 19: When the Pressure Mounts

“Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:12

As Christian continues his journey after leaving the Hill Difficulty, Bunyan brings us to another part of the journey that I think is easy to overlook. Christian comes to an arbour by the way and, tired from the journey, sits down to rest. There, he falls asleep. When he wakes, he discovers that the roll he was given is lost. He has to go back along the road to search for it, and when he eventually finds it, he is reminded again of the importance of diligence.

There is nothing wrong with Christian needing rest. He had been travelling up the Hill Difficulty and had been through a demanding part of the journey. The problem arose when his rest turned into carelessness. He was in a place where he could relax, and perhaps that was when he became less watchful.

This makes me think of something I have come to recognise in my own life. It seems to me that whenever sin becomes particularly attractive, or the lure particularly strong, it is often when the pressure mounts. When life becomes difficult, when circumstances seem overwhelming, or when we feel we are carrying more than we can handle, we naturally begin to look for a way to release the pressure and lighten the load.

This is where we need to be very careful, because what appears to offer relief can quickly become another form of bondage.

Why does someone turn to alcohol and eventually become an alcoholic? Why does someone begin taking drugs? There can be many circumstances involved, and I would not want to reduce those struggles to a single explanation, but sometimes the desire is to escape the realities of life. The same principle can manifest in many other forms. People can look for relief through pornography, gambling, unhealthy relationships, excessive entertainment, or any number of other things that promise to take their minds off what they are facing.

The pressure mounts, and we start looking for something to make it disappear.

And if that escape becomes our answer, we may find ourselves trapped by the very thing we turned to for relief.

This is where Paul's words in Romans 7 become deeply real. He describes something every believer needs to understand about the battle with sin:

“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” Romans 7:15

He goes on to describe the conflict within himself.

“but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.” Romans 7:23

Paul is not describing a battle that exists only among particularly sinful people. The reality is that we all have to contend with the power and influence of sin. We can all find ourselves seeking relief in the wrong place when pressure mounts.

Paul eventually cries out:

“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Romans 7:24

And then comes the answer:

“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:25 ESV

That brings me back to the question that runs through this whole series. When the pressure mounts, where are we looking for relief?

The Lord Jesus Christ does not tell us that the Christian life will be free from pressure. He tells us the opposite:

“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 There is a great difference between looking to Christ for strength in the midst of our circumstances and looking for something that will allow us to escape them.

Jesus says:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

The rest Christ offers is not an escape from Him or from life's realities. It is rest found in Him. That is very different from the temporary relief sin offers.

I think this is also why Peter tells us:

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

Perhaps one of the problems we face as Christians is that we do not understand the rules of engagement. We are in a spiritual battle, whether we acknowledge it or not, and the enemy knows exactly where our weaknesses lie. When the pressure mounts and we are tired, discouraged, disappointed or hurting, the temptation to find relief elsewhere than in Christ often becomes strongest. If we do not understand the battle, we may mistake the temptation for an opportunity to escape rather than recognise it for what it is. Scripture has not left us without instruction. We have been given the Word of God and told to be sober-minded and watchful. The question is whether we will actually listen to our Commander and follow His instructions.

There is another point in Bunyan's account that I think is important. Christian had already passed through the Cross. His burden had been lifted, and he was genuinely on the journey. Yet he could still grow careless.

That should make us take heed.

Coming to Christ does not mean we no longer need diligence. It does not mean that temptation will disappear or that pressure will never return. We still have a battle with sin, and Scripture must remain our instructor and authority in how we deal with it.

Sometimes the pressure mounts because we are being tested. At times, the Lord is pruning us and teaching us to depend more fully on Him. Whatever the circumstances, the answer is not to seek relief in anything that would draw us away from Christ.

Bunyan's Christian had to go back and find what he had lost. I think that's important for us. When we realise we have become careless, we should not simply carry on down the road, pretending nothing has happened. We need to return to the Word of God, examine ourselves honestly, and look again to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The question is not whether pressure will come. Jesus has already told us it will.

The question is what we will do when it comes.

Will we look to something that promises to lighten the load for a moment, or will we come to Christ, who alone can truly grant us rest?

That is something I think every one of us needs to consider, especially when the pressure mounts.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 10:12, Romans 7:15, Romans 7:23, Romans 7:24, Romans 7:25, John 16:33, Matthew 11:28, 1 Peter 5:8