When His Words Seem Too Hard

Surrendering what we cling to makes room for the fullness of life in Jesus.

Devotional Credit: My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers
Photo Credit: Unsplash

Oswald Chambers points us to an encounter between Jesus and the rich young ruler that cuts to the heart of what it means to listen to the Lord. When the man asked what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus did not soften His words or negotiate a lesser path. He spoke with clarity: sell everything, then follow Me. The man walked away sad because he understood the choice but could not bear the cost.

Chambers reminds us that Jesus never pleads or manipulates. He speaks plainly and leaves the decision with us. His words are often direct, even stern, and they demand more than casual agreement. They require surrender. When His words land in our hearts, they do not leave us the same. We may go away grieving, or we may yield and follow, but the weight of His words lingers until we choose.

This can be discouraging at first. We may approach the Lord with enthusiasm, ready for encouragement, and instead hear words that challenge the deepest attachments of our hearts. Like the ruler, we may feel the fire of our desire suddenly cooled by the reality of what following Him entails. But Chambers helps us see that even this discouragement has purpose. Jesus knows His word will bear fruit in time. What matters is that we truly hear it, not dismiss or explain it away.

The good news is that the Lord never shames us for the times we resisted Him. His words may pierce, but they are always for our good. When we do finally yield, He welcomes us without reproach. The difficulty of His call is never meant to crush us but to draw us into the freedom of full devotion. Chambers invites us to consider what it means to truly hear Jesus, not just with our ears but with our hearts, and to respond in trust rather than delay.

Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture

My child, when I speak, I speak with love, but My words may strike you as hard. They are not meant to discourage you but to free you from what binds you. When I call you to lay something down, it is because I desire to fill you with what is greater. Do not explain away My words or soften them for your comfort. They are life and truth, and they are spoken with you in mind.

You have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer you who live but He who lives in you. I call you not to cling to what fades, but to walk in newness of life. I am faithful to complete the work I have begun. Do not let sorrow over what you leave behind blind you to the joy of what lies ahead. In every hard saying there is hidden an invitation to freedom, abundance, and intimacy with Me.

When you yield, you will find that My commands are not burdensome, for they are empowered by My Spirit within you. I am not asking you to strive but to trust. The fruit will come, not from your determination, but from abiding in Me.

Scripture References: Luke 18:18-23, Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:4, Philippians 1:6, John 15:5, 1 John 5:3, Matthew 11:28-30, Philippians 2:13, Romans 8:1-2, Colossians 3:1-4.

Real-Life Analogy

It is like cleaning out a cluttered closet. At first, you hesitate to part with things you have kept for years. Some items have sentimental value, others you think you may need one day. But as you begin to let them go, you find space opening up. What was once cramped and heavy becomes light and ordered, and you realize that holding on was keeping you from enjoying the room as it was meant to be.

In the same way, when the Lord puts His finger on something in my life that feels hard to surrender, I can rest and say, “Lord, I trust You to live Your life through me in this moment as I release this to You.” The letting go may feel heavy at first, but the freedom that follows is life-giving.

Prayer of Confidence

Lord, I thank You that Your words, even when they sound hard, are filled with life and freedom. I rest in the truth that You never ask me to give up anything except what hinders me from knowing You more fully. I rejoice that You never shame me for past refusals, but welcome me each time I yield. I live today confident that Your Spirit will empower me to walk in surrender, and that every word You speak will bear fruit in Your perfect time.