Side Effects May Include

Recently, my family and I were watching a movie on a streaming service that had ads. The same prescription ad came up repeatedly throughout the movie. As with most prescription ads, the side effects were noted: “headache, nausea, and dizziness to severe, life-threatening conditions, including internal bleeding or death.”

Woah—death?! I’m not so sure anyone would really want to consider that prescription!

But it got me thinking… there are certainly those who do choose (with caution) to take that prescription because they’ve considered their own factors. Maybe for some, the potential risks are far outweighed by the good that would come from being able to manage their medical condition. This prescription might be what they need to effectively manage their symptoms and maintain their quality of life.

The Christian walk can be similar, but in an inverse way. The decision to follow Christ comes at a cost. It means denying what your flesh desires and choosing instead to follow God’s way. It’s a constant turning away from sin and living in obedience to God’s Word.

Scripture is clear that it’s a narrow path: “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” — Matthew 7:14

Despite the cost of the Christian walk, there are countless “side effects” someone could encounter, including:

• Freedom from sin, knowing that you are forgiven and walking in a new life

• Peace beyond understanding, even in the midst of life’s most difficult storms

• An unwavering anchor of hope, knowing that God is constantly working things out for our good and His glory

• The opportunity to have a relationship with your Heavenly Father and to trust and know that He is leading, guiding, and directing your steps in life

• A joy that is rooted not in your circumstances, but in Him, knowing that He is good and above it all

• Being able to take real rest, knowing that not everything depends on you

• Hope for eternity, knowing that death does not have the final say.

  
  

The list could go on and on, but you get the sense of what it’s like. There is abundant blessing in walking with God, and the side effects are ones I’m not concerned about experiencing.

And I hope the same for you—that you can walk in abundant blessing with your “side effects,” too.