I'm Tougher Than I Look

Recently, we’ve been in and out of doctor’s offices as we prepare to welcome our son, Daxon. There have been some heavy conversations—real concerns about what he’ll face after birth. And in the middle of all that, the doctors have tried to lighten the mood with humor. But more than once, that humor has come at my expense.

They joke, they tease, and honestly, I don’t mind. I get it. It’s their way of easing tension. But Lydia—my wife, my fierce and faithful protector—hasn’t always found it funny. She’s jumped in to defend me, to push back when she felt like I was being underestimated.

And I love her for that.

But I’ve told her gently, more than once: “Babe, it’s okay. I’m tougher than I look.”

Tougher Than I Look: Strength in the Solitude

Let’s open the Word to Matthew 4:1–11. This is the moment Jesus heads into the wilderness—the eremos. That word appears 26 times in the New Testament, always pointing to a place of solitude, stillness, and spiritual sharpening.

Jesus didn’t retreat into the eremos because He was weak. In fact, He went because He was strong. He was spiritually prepared, rooted in His identity, and led by the Spirit—not by pressure, noise, or popularity.

He didn’t launch His ministry with a vision board or marketing strategy. No podcast appearances. No hype. Just silence, solitude, and a deep connection with His Father.

What about us?

Do we chase distraction instead of discipline? Do we run to noise instead of God’s whisper? Jesus chose the wilderness. We can too.

"But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." —Luke 5:16

It’s not isolation—it’s intentional solitude. There’s a difference. Isolation leaves you empty. Solitude with God fills you up. When I say I’m tougher than I look, I don’t mean I never feel weak. I mean I know where my strength comes from. And it’s not me.

Don’t Be Fooled Into Proving What’s Already Been Provided

In Matthew 4:5–10, Satan tempts Jesus not with failure, but with the pressure to prove Himself. “If You are the Son of God...” Sound familiar?

We’ve all heard that voice.

• If God really loved you, wouldn’t things be easier?

• If you were really strong, you wouldn’t feel like this.

• If you were truly called, everyone would see it by now.

• 
  

But go back one chapter. Matthew 3. God had already spoken: “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.”

Jesus didn’t need to perform for love—He was already loved.

So are you.

You don’t have to prove your worth to people or post it for likes. You don’t have to earn what God already said about you. Maybe you’ve had a bad day. Maybe the doctor gave you tough news. Maybe this season is harder than you thought it would be.

But listen:

You’re tougher than you look. Because the Spirit of God is in you. Because your identity is rooted in Him. Because you’ve been to the eremos—and come out stronger.

A Love Worth Fighting For

As we take communion, I want us to reflect on this: Jesus entered the wilderness to prepare for the fight for us. He embraced solitude so He could carry the cross. He didn’t avoid the pain—He faced it, fully aware of the victory ahead.

So how do we respond?

We love Him back. With our worship. With our time. With our solitude. With our fight.

Let’s not avoid the wilderness. Let’s walk into it—knowing we’re not alone. Knowing we’re stronger for it. Knowing that in Christ...

We’re tougher than we look.

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And before I close, I want to ask something personal: as Lydia and I continue walking through this journey with our son Daxon, we would deeply appreciate your prayers. Pray for his healing. Pray for peace in the unknown. And pray that through it all, our faith remains anchored in the One who walked the wilderness first.

We love you, church. Thank you for standing with us.

-Pastor Alex Jordan