Why Does it take until life gets hard?

I've been really pondering over how lazy I have been in my walk with the Lord. Sure I get up and read the Bible, I sing and pray to God all day long, but am I really being Christ to other people in this world? Am I really being that"new creation" that I've come to love thinking about. Why is it that it takes me until my life gets tough to really begin to live as a Christian? Why is it that the most beautiful things come out of the most terrible times? To see the transformation in my family when we are walking through THE MOST DIFFICULT thing we have ever experienced. I almost am glad that this happened to us. I'm almost dancing for joy that the Lord chose us to walk through this pain because I have seen my whole family walk with the Lord in such wonderful ways. My mom has always been beautiful and full of love, but now the beauty of the Lord is just radiating from her, even when tears are streaming down her face. And my dad, the boldness in his authority, which comes from the Holy Spirit, is like nothing I've ever seen before. And for me, I am no longer walking around anxious and afraid. I am no longer dreading school or fearful of saying something wrong around people. I'm no longer afraid of being rejected. And even though I hurt inside I have such incredible joy and peace in my life that it all doesn't seem so big. This is what happens when God puts us through the fire. And I feel like this is just the beginning - there is more to come. I keep an image of the Lord always in my minds eye. An image of Jesus sitting on top of a white horse, clothed in armor that shines like the sun, eyes as deep as the deep blue sea, with a sword raised above His head causing demons to run in fear. This is who Jesus is to me - and this is what I hold onto and will continue to hold onto til the day He returns. The Lord reigns!!