Are Christians Overprioritizing Comfort and Convenience?

The Apostle Paul’s inspired letter to the Colossians begins by expounding on the supremacy of Christ and that He is the head of the body — the church (Colossians 1:17-18). We were once alienated from Him but now have been reconciled to Him (Colossians 1:21-22). Paul continues in chapter two by telling Christians we are brought to fullness in Christ (Colossians 2:9-10), which asserts His deity, and it is right we should be in subjection to Him. Paul ends chapter two by proclaiming we are free from the rules of the world, which are based on “merely human commands and teachings” (Colossians 2:20-23).

Paul then sets our Christians standards in chapter three. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:1-2). We are assured when Christ, who is our life, appears, we will appear with Him in glory (Colossians 3:4).

Following the assurance, Paul gives his readers a list of earthly attributes to put to death: “whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). He then explains they are the reason for God’s coming wrath. It’s like he tells us to bury the past life in order to enjoy our new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). He tells us to not lie to one another, and he says there is now no class distinction. We are all one in Christ because “Christ is all and is in all” (Colossians 3:10-11).

Then follows the list of virtues (This list looks a lot like the Fruit of the Spirit as revealed in Galatians 5):

- Compassion

- Kindness

- Humility

- Gentleness

- Patience

Paul adds much about how we are to enact these virtues:

- Bear with one another.

- Forgive one another as the Lord forgave us.

- Put on love, which binds all the virtues together in perfect unity.

- Let Christ’s peace rule in our hearts.

- Be thankful.

- Let Christ’s message dwell in us richly as we teach and admonish one another, “with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts” (Colossians 3:16). 

Paul then goes on with instructions within Christian households and at the work we do, making sure Christ is the focus of our excellent work.

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What did Jesus say Christians should expect? Certainly not a life completely filled with comfort and convenience, as we think of them. In our society, comfort is often thought of as being healthy and wealthy, with a large bank account and a big house. Some people add retirement at an early age to the queue so they can fritter away their time with travels and some leisure sports.

Conveniences include the latest and greatest video games, entertainment devices, cell phones, cars, boats, appliances, furniture, etc. To others, a full pantry and someone to cook and clean for them would be quite convenient. You might look at this list and think one or more of the items would make you relax and perhaps be happier. Religious cults promise health and wealth and prey on the emotions of naïve and unsuspecting people by promising a life of ease and comfort if they only give “seed money” to reap a harvest of blessings.

Not so.

If someone tells you that, run the other way and warn others.

Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Our Lord Jesus never spouted inanities nor did He mince words. While Christians are here in the world, we will have troubles. Our comfort comes from the fact that Jesus has overcome the world. That bears repeating. He has overcome the world! That means no matter what we suffer here, when we belong to Christ, we are victors (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Writer Aaron Berry shares, “In this verse, we see two certain realities: 1) The followers of Jesus will suffer great distress, and 2) Jesus has already won the victory. He didn’t want his disciples to be under the delusion that their future ministry would be full of ease and comfort, and he doesn’t want us to think that either.” Our peace and comfort come as kingdom dwellers, knowing this world has no hold on us. Like Jesus, we press on for the joy set before us (Philippians 3:14; Hebrews 12:2), only He endured the cross so we don’t have to.

We as American Christians might endure some sideward glances or even guffaws when we share our faith — something we are told to do (Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 9:16). But we have freedoms other Christians in hostile nations don’t. Yet they rejoice to belong to Jesus, and tolerate and suffer physical abuse and even death. But they know where they are going, and their comfort rests in Jesus Christ.

In the first century in Antioch, believers were first called Christians, yet it was a term of derision. The scorn that greeted Christians then continues today, yet the Gospel is still preached and more souls are brought into the kingdom every day. A pastor in India smiled when he said, “We welcome persecution, for when we are persecuted, the church grows.” 2 Timothy 3:12 tells us those who lead a godly life will be persecuted.

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For the sake of the Gospel, comfort and convenience are a snare. We could come to rely on results of other peoples’ labors instead of enjoying the fruit of our own labors (Ephesians 2:10; Colossians 3:23-24).

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 is a wise look at the fruit of the labor God has given us, “Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil — this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.”

Please re-read that Scripture. God gives us life. God gives us work (originally created as a good thing, and work as Christians, Pastor John Piper says, “is a blessing.” See Genesis 2:2, 3, 15; 1 Corinthians 15:10). And God keeps us occupied with joy! Focus on Him as you work and you will find comfort in the convenience of your work.

Think about true and proper study of God’s Word. It’s hard work. Yet it’s worth every ounce of physical and mental sweat we put into it. Physical because many excellent students of God’s Word arise very early for uninterrupted time with the Lord in prayer and Bible study. Mental (or even spiritual) hard work is involved because we have to focus amid the very distractions that give us comfort and convenience (e.g., cell phones and their immediate play-by-play of personal and world-wide events are just one of many huge interferences).

No, we don’t have to rid ourselves of all conveniences, but we should judiciously plan our time to increase biblical and godly intake and limit worldly exposure.

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A peaceful and quiet life is not sinful, but a life spent striving for worldly gain with its comforts and conveniences fraught with deception is. Our best life is yet to come, when we are with Christ in glory, not here in the tribulation of the world’s pressures to have all and be all. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 tells us we are to pray (hard work) and intercede for our authorities that we may live a peaceful, godly, dignified, and quiet life. And it pleases God when we do!

Lusting after the world and its ever-changing wiles will never bring one peace, dignity, quiet, or godliness. All these virtues come from God, for, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).

There is no sin when God blesses us with comfort and convenience. Our key is knowing and abiding in what James told us in the above quoted passage. Every good gift is God-given and we are not to rely on them for life. We don’t own anything; we are stewards of what God has given us, and in serving and worshipping our Lord, we are to practice excellent stewardship with everything we have. We are not to sacrifice for wants and desires because they are temporal. As the old saying goes, “You don’t see a storage truck attached to a hearse.” 

Comforts and conveniences become sinful when we (1) expect them and (2) rely on them to prove our worth and/or make idols out of them (Exodus 20:3).

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When we read the account of the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:14-22, we can sense a correlation with how many in the world view America. To many, Americans are rich and have virtually no needs. The church in Laodicea was called out because they were meh, a colloquial way of saying they had no enthusiasm for the Lord. They are known as the lukewarm church God wanted to spit out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16).

They considered themselves rich while in fact they were spiritually wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Jesus counsels them to instead “buy” from Him that which will open their eyes and give them heavenly riches which never perish. That’s the “American Dream” to a T — striving after that which perishes. Take as many lessons from Scripture as you can; they will never run out.

We are to be content in all situations (Philippians 4:11; 1 Timothy 6:8; Hebrews 13:5) and always realize God will supply all our needs from Christ’s riches (Philippians 4:19).

For the sake of the Gospel, then, we are Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) and as such we are witnesses to the lost and dying world of who we are in Christ. Striving after anything other than sharing the Gospel and reflecting Christ is catering to the world’s idea of prosperity.

You may notice we’ve fixed our eyes and hearts on who and what we are to be in Christ, and not on the items of comfort and convenience. We’ve found those two desires are not biblical virtues for we are to share in the sufferings of Christ (1 Peter 3:8-20). Focus on Christ and His Word and you won’t fall prey to the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16.)

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