What is the Christian life compared to, and is it easy?
The Christian life is compared to paddling a canoe up a roaring river. It is never easy; it is a constant battle against the forces of Satan and the designs of the world, yet God has promised believers can do it.
Les explains that the Christian life is like paddling a canoe up a roaring river—pretty near impossible in human strength. He stresses that the Christian life is never easy; it is a constant battle because we are up against all the forces of Satan and all the designs of the world around us. But God has promised that we can do it. This fits the context of working to further God's work and gain reward, with gold, silver, and precious stones representing rightly motivated service that gives God the glory, while ego-driven efforts become wood, hay, and stubble, because God looks at the motivation.