“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me”
–Matthew 17:24
For me, this line seemed so ordinary that I didn’t really understand what Jesus meant with “taking up my cross.” I know I am nothing without Him and He can build up His kingdom even without me but if there is any way, anything where He could use me in establishing His kingdom, then I would humbly submit my whole self to Him. Then, when I finally prayed for Him to use me as an instrument for other people to also be saved, I realized how hard it is to follow Him. True enough, it is not easy to be a disciple of Christ.
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me”
–Matthew 17:24
As Jesus said, “Men would hate you because of me, but stand firm and you will be saved. You are my servant and I am your master. No servant is greater than his master so if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. In this world I will not promise that there is no trouble but take heart! I have overcome the world.”
I never really imagined how hard it is to follow him. I never thought it would be this painful yet as the song goes, “I’m trading my sorrows, I’m trading my shame, I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord,” I will find joy in all of my sorrows. He also said that “Find delight in your weaknesses; boast in all your sufferings for I am always with you even in your lowest moments. I will never abandon you nor forsake you. When you are weak, then you are strong” What would life be without Him? I’d rather suffer than live a life without Him. Why would I worry when He said in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I am holding on to His promises. I am one of the “endangered species” in this world who lives by true faith and God has chosen me. In Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I set you apart.” I would be His disciple and take in with a light heart all of the insults, hardships and sufferings because it is when I am weak that I am truly strong. Why would I be anxious about my tomorrow when I know that the God who is high above but looks low is praying for me and is mindful of me? He would calm every storm in my heart because He is in control. Worrying is an insult to Him, it is just an affirmation of how little my faith is to Him so in my every day, I will not worry nor be anxious because with Him there is joy and He will always be enough.
In all days of my life, I would continue to live by faith and pray that He will water the seed of faith that he has planted in my heart. I would wait for the day when the seed he has planted in me will grow into a tree where birds could find food in it, where people could rest under it, and where people could find refuge in it.
Wow. Thank You. This article is Awesome hope you could publish this to many people. I can really relate about the phrase “deny ourselves, pick up the cross… and follow Him”. I’ve been persecuted and rejected many times by doing this… and thinking of it again makes me sad but at the same time STRONG! Come to think that even your closest friends and best friend would reject you. But I stood strong by the word of GOD and He stood beside me and never abandoned me ( for he never abandons everyone). And at the END GOD really is sovereign and reigns over peoples hearts… He touched people’s lives and AWESOME THINGS happened. And I realized during those times that He was the one holding my hand me not me holding his hand… because if I was the one holding HIS one I could’ve let go. But because He was the one holding… I survived! Praise GOD!! I will read more of your articles!!