When you go into a store to buy something, you always look at the price of the item before you decide if you will buy it or not. No one buys anything without counting the cost. Jesus tells us that we need to do the same when we decide to follow Him. When you give your life to Jesus you are a new creation in Christ. The way you used to think and the things you used to do, you don't do anymore. Your old self has been done away with and you are new. Your friends that you had before you were born again will start to see a difference in you. You will most likely loose a lot of the people you used to run around with. You will have less and less in common with them as you mature in Christ.
The time will come when they will either ask you what happened in your life or they will just move on in life without you as their friend. This will give you an opportunity to witness to them as to the change in your life and tell them about Jesus. When you become a Christian, you loose that common denominator with your old friends. You start to live in the Spirit and not in the flesh because you have the Holy Spirit indwelling you. Your friends will wonder what happened to you.
1Peter;4:3-4
(For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles-when we walked in lewdness, lust, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.)
Your friends will be surprised at your lack of interest in ungodly pleasures.
When you live for Jesus you will be under scrutiny by the world and you will have trials and persecution. Jesus tells us that these things will happen. We can expect it to happen and we need to be ready for it when it does happen.
1Peter;4:12
(Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;)
We are to rejoice in our suffering if it is for the cause of Jesus.
1Peter;4:13
(but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.)
When people say evil about you and accuse you of all wrong doing, let them, because you are blessed because of their reproach. They will say these things because you belong to Christ.
1Peter;4:14
(If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rest upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.)
We need to stay above reproach in our daily life so that we don't give the enemy anything to accuse us of. The enemy already knows our weaknesses and he will attack us unmercifully. Live your life to please our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
1Peter;4:15-16
(But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet is anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.)
So we see that it isn't a matter of if we will have trials in our Christian walk, it is that we need to be ready when they come along, and they will come along. We need to stay close to God and rely on His strength to get through them. It isn't always easy to follow Jesus because the world hated Him and it will hate us also.
John;15:18-19
(If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.)
Just stay committed to God and obey Him. Our life down here is short, eternity is forever.
1Peter;4:19
(Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.)
God will see us through all of our trials. He tells us that He will never leave us, so don't leave Him. He is our Rock and our Salvation.
God Bless You!
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