The term "difficult" in the context of the Bible often refers to situations, teachings, or paths that require effort, perseverance, and reliance on God. Throughout Scripture, the concept of difficulty is presented as an integral part of the human experience, often serving as a means for spiritual growth and reliance on divine strength.

Difficult Teachings

In the New Testament, Jesus presents teachings that are described as difficult by His followers. In John 6:60, after Jesus speaks about being the Bread of Life, many of His disciples respond, "This is a difficult teaching. Who can accept it?" . This highlights the challenge of understanding and accepting spiritual truths that may not align with human expectations or logic. The difficulty here is not just intellectual but also spiritual, requiring faith and openness to divine revelation.

Difficult Paths

The concept of the narrow path is another instance where difficulty is emphasized. In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus instructs, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" . The narrow path symbolizes the challenging journey of living a life in accordance with God's will, marked by self-denial, obedience, and perseverance.

Trials and Tribulations

The Bible frequently addresses the theme of trials and tribulations as a form of difficulty that believers must endure. James 1:2-4 encourages believers to "consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" . Here, difficulties are seen as opportunities for growth and maturity in faith, shaping believers into the likeness of Christ.

Reliance on God

In times of difficulty, Scripture consistently points to reliance on God as the source of strength and comfort. Philippians 4:13 states, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" . This verse underscores the belief that while difficulties are inevitable, believers are empowered to overcome them through the strength provided by Christ. Similarly, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 records Paul's revelation that God's grace is sufficient, and His power is made perfect in weakness, leading Paul to declare, "For when I am weak, then I am strong" .

Endurance and Hope

The Bible also speaks to the endurance and hope that arise from facing difficulties. Romans 5:3-5 explains, "Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us" . This passage highlights the transformative power of difficulties, leading to a deeper hope rooted in God's love and promises.

In summary, the concept of "difficult" in the Bible encompasses teachings, paths, and experiences that challenge believers to grow in faith, rely on God's strength, and develop perseverance and hope. These difficulties are not without purpose, serving as a means to refine and strengthen one's spiritual journey.1. (a.) Hard to do or to make; beset with difficulty; attended with labor, trouble, or pains; not easy; arduous.

2. (a.) Hard to manage or to please; not easily wrought upon; austere; stubborn; as, a difficult person.

3. (v. t.) To render difficult; to impede; to perplex.

1422b. duskolos -- hard to satisfy with food, hence generally hard ...
... 1422a, 1422b. duskolos. 1423 . hard to satisfy with food, hence generally hard
to please, difficult. Transliteration: duskolos Short Definition: hard. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1422b.htm - 5k

1422. duskolos -- a sinking, setting.
... Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: duskolos Phonetic Spelling:
(doo'-kol-os) Short Definition: difficult Definition: difficult, hard; of persons: ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1422.htm - 6k

5467. chalepos -- hard (to do or bear)
... 5467 (an adjective, derived from , "to oppress, annoy," J. Thayer) -- properly,
irksomely hard to bear (); difficult to cope with because so harsh (even ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5467.htm - 6k

1419. dusbastaktos -- hard to be borne, oppressive
... to be borne, oppressive. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: dusbastaktos
Phonetic Spelling: (doos-bas'-tak-tos) Short Definition: difficult to carry ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1419.htm - 7k

1421. dusermeneutos -- hard of interpretation
... of interpretation. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: dusermeneutos Phonetic
Spelling: (doos-er-mane'-yoo-tos) Short Definition: difficult to interpret ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1421.htm - 6k

1425. dusnoetos -- hard to understand
... 1425 (an adjective, derived from 1418 , "difficult" and , "understanding," see 3539 ) --
properly, hard-to-understand; to grasp; hard to mentally , ie what is ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1425.htm - 7k

3629. oiktirmon -- merciful
... express visceral-compassions") -- compassionate, experiencing deep pity (lamentation)
as for people who look to Him for help in their difficult situations. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3629.htm - 7k

4239. praus -- meekness
... This difficult-to-translate root () means "meek." meekness is but rather refers
to exercising under -- ie demonstrating power without undue harshness. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4239.htm - 6k

4642. skleros -- hard, rough
... Word Origin from skello (to dry) Definition hard, rough NASB Word Usage difficult
(1), hard (2), harsh things (1), strong (1). fierce, hard. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4642.htm - 6k

4928. sunoche -- a holding together, fig. distress
... 4928 (from 4912, see there) -- properly, something held together in close ("hard")
tension; (figuratively) tension from difficult circumstances that "won't move ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4928.htm - 7k

3358. yaqqir -- honorable, difficult
... 3357, 3358. yaqqir. 3359 . honorable, difficult. Transliteration: yaqqir
Phonetic Spelling: (yak-keer') Short Definition: difficult. ...
/hebrew/3358.htm - 6k

6381. pala -- to be surpassing or extraordinary
... verb from pele Definition to be surpassing or extraordinary NASB Word Usage bring
extraordinary (1), deal marvelously (1), difficult (5), extraordinary degree ...
/hebrew/6381.htm - 6k

3515. kabed -- heavy
... Word Origin from kabad Definition heavy NASB Word Usage burdensome (1), difficult
(2), great (4), grievous (1), heavier (1), heavy (11), huge (1), large (4 ...
/hebrew/3515.htm - 6k

7001. qetar -- a joint, knot
... Word Origin (Aramaic) from a root corresponding to qatar Definition a joint, knot
NASB Word Usage difficult problems (2), joints (1). doubt, joint. ...
/hebrew/7001.htm - 6k

7186. qasheh -- hard, severe
... Word Origin from qashah Definition hard, severe NASB Word Usage cruel (2), difficult
(2), fierce (2), hard (5), hardship (1), harsh (4), harshly (5), heavier (1 ...
/hebrew/7186.htm - 6k

2420. chidah -- a riddle, an enigmatic, perplexing saying or ...
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition a riddle, an enigmatic, perplexing saying
or question NASB Word Usage dark sayings (2), difficult questions (2 ...
/hebrew/2420.htm - 6k

A Difficult Crossing
... Chapter 13. Wesley in Scotland Again; Methodist's Wealth; "No Law for
Methodists"; Exhausting Days; Whitefield A Difficult Crossing. ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/a difficult crossing.htm

It is Difficult to Treat of the virtue of the Soul...
... Section 1. It is difficult to treat of the virtue of the soul? 1. It is
difficult to treat of the virtue of the soul, which is ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/on continence/section 1 it is difficult.htm

How Difficult it is to Demonstrate the Trinity by Natural Reason.
... Book XV. Chapter 5."How Difficult It is to Demonstrate the Trinity by
Natural Reason. 7. But all that I have said, and whatever ...
/.../augustine/on the holy trinity/chapter 5 how difficult it is.htm

It was a Difficult Matter to Persuade Me that the Tinseled Ware ...
... THE THIRD CENTURY 9 It was a difficult matter to persuade me that the tinseled
ware upon a hobby-horse was a fine thing. It was a ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/9 it was a difficult.htm

But if it Seems Difficult for You to Understand This...
... 19 But if it seems difficult for you to understand this? But if it seems
difficult for you to understand this, and if you do not ...
/.../the acts of the disputation with the heresiarch manes/19 but if it seems.htm

The Discovery of Truth is Difficult, but God Has Promised that He ...
... Book XII. Chapter I ."The Discovery of Truth is Difficult, But God Has
Promised that He Who Seeks Shall Find. 1. My heart, O Lord ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/chapter i the discovery of.htm

It is Difficult to Decide Whether the Sins of a Man's Other ...
... Chapter 47."It is Difficult to Decide Whether the Sins of a Man's Other
Progenitors are Imputed to Him. But about the sins of ...
/.../augustine/the enchiridion/chapter 47 it is difficult to.htm

Here Again Arises a Very Difficult Question. For in what Way Shall ...
... Section 28. Here again arises a very difficult question. For in what way shall
we fools? 28. Here again arises a very difficult question. ...
/.../augustine/on the profit of believing /section 28 here again arises.htm

But Nothing was Difficult to them with whom it was Lawful to ...
... Section X. But nothing was difficult to them with whom it was lawful to
celebrate the Passover? But nothing was difficult to them ...
/.../the paschal canon of anatolius of alexandria/section x but nothing was.htm

The Common Error which Makes it Difficult to Believe all the World ...
... THE FIRST CENTURY 36 The common error which makes it difficult to believe
all the World to be wholly ours. The common error which ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/36 the common error which.htm

Difficult (31 Occurrences)
... 2. (a.) Hard to manage or to please; not easily wrought upon; austere; stubborn;
as, a difficult person. 3. (vt) To render difficult; to impede; to perplex. ...
/d/difficult.htm - 15k

Difficulty (12 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The state of being difficult, or hard to do; hardness; arduousness; -- opposed
to easiness or facility; as, the difficulty of a task or enterprise; a ...
/d/difficulty.htm - 10k

Mystery (31 Occurrences)
... Eleusinian mysteries. 3. (n.) The consecrated elements in the Eucharist.
4. (a.) Anything artfully made difficult; an enigma. 5. (n ...
/m/mystery.htm - 42k

Judicial (2 Occurrences)
... These magistrates settled ordinary disputes while he reserved for himself
the more difficult cases. After the conquest of Canaan ...
/j/judicial.htm - 25k

Burden (111 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary. (1.) A load of any kind (Exodus 23:5). (2.) A severe
task (Exodus 2:11). (3.) A difficult duty, requiring effort (Exodus 18:22). ...
/b/burden.htm - 46k

Urim (8 Occurrences)
... and Thummim in the days of the later kings (compare, however, Hosea 3:4; Ecclesiasticus
33:3). Still, in post-exilic times we find the difficult question of ...
/u/urim.htm - 21k

Thummim (6 Occurrences)
... and Thummim in the days of the later kings (compare, however, Hosea 3:4; Ecclesiasticus
33:3). Still, in post-exilic times we find the difficult question of ...
/t/thummim.htm - 22k

Titus (15 Occurrences)
... sent to the East. If Manius is not altogether a fabrication, it is difficult
to decide exactly who he is. The reading fluctuates ...
/t/titus.htm - 29k

Lignaloes
... The most difficult mention of aloes is the earliest where (Numbers 24:5, 6) Balaam
in his blessing on Israel exclaims-"How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, Thy ...
/l/lignaloes.htm - 10k

Dilemma (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (n.) A state of things in which evils or obstacles present themselves on every
side, and it is difficult to determine what course to pursue; a vexatious ...
/d/dilemma.htm - 7k

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