I've always found old family stories interesting. Let me share with you one such story about the Pack family.
During the Civil War, my ancestors largely settled in the mountains taking a "just leave me alone" stance towards all the unpleasantness in the rest of the nation. Old George Pack operated a ferry across the New River at a location today called "Pack's Ferry". It just so happened that both northern and southern forces used these mountain routes to get behind the front lines and as they traveled they would trade goods from their homes with George and the residents of the community. The only problem was that each side considered items manufactured in enemy territory to be "contraband" punishable by arrest by a military commander. Each time the opposing side would pass through, George was arrest, made to swear an oath of allegiance for his crimes, and set on his merry way. One Union unit came through on three separate occasions, arresting George each time essentially for just trying to make a living on whatever military traffic came through the area. Eventually the Union commander got tired of arresting George and asked, "George, what am I to do with you?" George replied, "Foxes have their dens, and rabbits have their holes, but I fear there is no place for a Pack to rest his head." The Union commander laughed and told George he didn't want to see him for the rest of the war.
Sometimes being a Christian can feel like being stuck in the middle of two opposing sides. On the one hand, you have the world pulling you in every direction other than God. Then you have God seeming to "pull" you towards his path and his plan. From a worldly perspective, it is easy to feel like a victim caught in the middle of external, supernatural forces.
...but that's not really how it is being a Christian, is it?
19 Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.” (Matt 8:19-20)
When Jesus is approached by a religious authority, Jesus seems to discourage him from joining in. Why turn away someone who is religious? Why turn away someone who appears to be "one of the good guys"? Consider the status of religious leaders in this day-in-age of the New Testament. They were respected, honored, and cared after. They had no reason to fear social or physical discomfort. Jesus' response sought to ensure this individual knew the cost of following him. This wouldn't be something that was easy and he might not even be liked for choosing "the right side". No, a life with Christ was bound to be full of troubles and obstacles... at least from a worldly perspective.
So if that's the case, doesn't this make it seem like God is being a little unfair? Why would God dangle us between heaven and hell just so he can be worshiped?
Paul saw this situation correctly in 2 Corinthians when he says...
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life has gone; a new life has begun! (2 Cor 5:17)
You see, when we follow Christ, we aren't being dangled between heaven and hell; we're joining heaven. We cease to be the old person and become someone entirely different who is wholly united with Christ. Sure, we may still have the same quirks and hobbies, but we now serve a new Lord and new authority not of this world. This is why Jesus tells the religious leader that he is bound to not find comfort by following the ways of Christ; Christ's journey wasn't easy and we accompany him on that path. What this means for us practically is that people may reject us just as they rejected Christ. People may misunderstand us just as they misunderstood Christ. People may judge us just as they judged Christ. However, we have the peace and comfort of knowing that we are united in our trials with the person of Christ and he now carries our burdens with us.
Following Christ is peaceful because we share in Christ's peace, but we should never fool ourselves into thinking "peaceful" is equal to "easy". It isn't; life is inherently hard. However, we can remain joyful and bold knowing that we are navigating this uneasy life with a God who loves us and cares for us enough to send his Son down to earth to walk with us, so that we would not have to endure these trials alone. Christ has empowered you with his holy spirit which can conquer any trial, any fear, and any obstacle.
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