2026.08.16 | When Following Jesus Feels Inconvenient

I like to think of myself as willing.

Willing to follow Jesus. Willing to serve. Willing to be generous. Willing to be inconvenienced if that is what obedience requires.

But then the inconvenience becomes specific.

It is not a vague idea anymore. It is Sunday morning with a baby who woke up three times and a toddler who suddenly hates the shoes they loved yesterday.

It is trying to get everyone out the door for church while someone is crying, someone needs a diaper change, and I am wondering if it would just be easier to stay home.

It is community group night when dinner ran late, the baby is fussy, the toddler is sticky, the dishes are still in the sink, and the couch looks like a better spiritual discipline than showing up.

It is wanting to pray with my spouse after the kids go down, but by the time the house is quiet, we are both exhausted and scrolling feels easier than honesty.

It is hearing about a need in the church and wanting to care, but also feeling like we are already running on fumes.

It is realizing that generosity is not theoretical when diapers, groceries, formula, gas, and rent all have numbers attached to them.

That is where Sunday’s sermon got me.

In Acts 21, Paul knew the road ahead would be hard. He was warned that suffering was waiting for him in Jerusalem. His friends loved him and urged him not to go.

I understand them.

I do not want people I love to suffer. I do not want to suffer either. If there is another way around pain, sacrifice, or inconvenience, I usually want to find it.

But Paul’s response was not reckless. It was resolved.

He said he was ready not only to be imprisoned, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

That sentence feels so far beyond my normal category of obedience.

Most of the time, I am not being asked to risk prison. I am being asked to be faithful when it costs me comfort, time, pride, money, sleep, or control.

And honestly, I still resist.

The line that stayed with me was, “The road is hard. Keep going.”

That is not dramatic. It is not flashy. It is just true.

The Christian life is not always easy. Sometimes I think I have quietly believed that if I am following Jesus, things should feel smoother. My marriage should feel easier. Parenting should feel more peaceful. Church should fit neatly into our calendar. Serving should feel energizing every time. Giving should only happen when the budget feels comfortable.

But Jesus never promised that kind of road.

He called us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him.

That sounds beautiful in a song. It feels harder when the toddler is melting down, the baby is teething, and I am running on coffee and impatience.

I am learning that a lot of my discipleship right now is happening in very ordinary places.

It is apologizing to my spouse when I have been short.  
It is praying one honest sentence instead of waiting for the perfect quiet time.  
It is getting to church even if we arrive late and frazzled.  
It is choosing community when staying isolated would be easier.  
It is giving generously when there are plenty of other things we could use the money for.  
It is serving even when our season feels full.  
It is believing that faithfulness in a tired house still matters to Jesus.

I do not want to chase hardship. That is not the point.

But I do want to stop treating inconvenience like it automatically means something has gone wrong.

Sometimes the road is hard because obedience is hard.

Sometimes the faithful thing is not impressive. It is packing the diaper bag again. It is loading kids into car seats again. It is showing up again. It is asking for prayer again. It is opening Scripture when you only have ten quiet minutes. It is choosing patience when everyone in the house is tired.

And sometimes it is admitting, “I need help.”

That part matters too.

Paul did not walk alone. He had people praying with him, weeping with him, speaking honestly to him, and helping him continue forward.

Our family needs that. I need that.

I need people who do not make me feel embarrassed that our life is loud and messy right now. I need people who will pray for us when sleep is thin and patience is thinner. I need people who remind me that this season matters, even if it feels small.

And I want to be that kind of person for others too.

So this week, I am trying to ask a better question.

Not, “How can I make my life easier?”

But, “Where is Jesus asking me to be faithful?”

Maybe it is in my home. Maybe it is with my spouse. Maybe it is with my kids. Maybe it is in my giving. Maybe it is with the neighbor I keep meaning to talk to. Maybe it is in finally saying yes to community instead of waiting until life feels calmer.

Because if I wait until life feels calm, I may be waiting a long time.

The road is hard.

Jesus is still worth following.

And by his grace, we keep going.