BY: Teresa LeNeave - leneave2@comcast.net

Why is it so hard for people to accept a better life? For sure, this better life still has its troubles, but you don't have to walk it alone and that's a good thing. When the sky feels like it's falling in on you, you have Someone bigger than yourself to go to for help. That Someone is God and that is who we put our faith in.

In scripture, Jesus explained several reasons why some people fail to put faith in Him. One major reason, is a preference for "darkness instead of light." Jesus taught that his message exposes wrongdoing, causing some individuals to resist accepting it.

"Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil," Jesus said in John 3:19. Following Jesus requires personal change, and that's something many people are unwilling to do.

Another reason some people have trouble trusting in God is fear. Fear is a powerful emotion. In John 5:44, Jesus questioned how people could truly believe while seeking praise from others yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from God. To often we fear what people think and not what God thinks.

The Bible also describes what Jesus called "spiritual blindness." In several passages, he said some people hear his teachings without truly understanding them. Quoting the prophet Isaiah, Jesus described people who "hear but do not understand" and "see but do not perceive."

Additionally, Jesus warned that attachment to worldly things can prevent people from accepting spiritual truth. He taught that excessive focus on wealth, status, and comfort may interfere with faith. One example appears in the story of the rich young ruler, who walked away saddened after being unable to give up his possessions to follow Jesus.

There are times in life when you're coming to the end of your rope, but hold onto faith, no matter how small you may think it is. The Bible teaches that faith no larger than a grain of mustard seed has the power to move mountains. (Matthew 17:20).

I know it's hard to understand that kind of unseen power. But you can have it with Jesus in your life. The Bible says we can do all things THROUGH Christ which strengthen us. He's the hand we must continue to hold on to. So just hold on. There is a gospel song that says, just hold on, our Lord will show up and He will take you through the fire again.

"Faith is the victory that overcomes the world" (1 John 5:4).