The Cost of Taking Up Your Cross: Death

Wow! I feel like it has been quite a day. As I sit here pondering over the time in God's word this morning and then eating lunch with friends, I am just amazed by how good He is. Today I had real conversation about God, about struggles that people were going through and about truly taking up our crosses for Him. What it looks like to make my life a reflection of His and being able to see Him work in other people.

For some time now I have been praying about something. I am not going to go into details just yet, but this has been on my mind a lot. It is something that I struggle with quite often and have noticed is something that can bring me into sin faster than pretty much anything else. I have realized that in a lot of people's lives especially those claiming to be solid Christians this thing has a way of taking hold. It deceives you into believing that you what you are doing is not wrong at all. Much like Eve was deceived into thinking that the piece of fruit would make her like God. Today it occurred to me that I am not alone in my desire of things that are not of God. You might be thinking "duh." You probably would be right, but in my mind I have gotten so used to my own struggles and feeling like I am the only one that I forgot we all go through this. Maybe your struggle is not my struggle, but we all have struggles.

What made today different though is for once I felt like the wall was torn down. For once someone was vulnerable and God began to work. It is not going to be easy and it may cause some relationships to crumble, but you know what He is working and He was kind enough to allow me to be a part of this thing! I can't believe it! I want to scream to everyone that He is Faithful! He is worth it! He is worth whatever sacrifices I have had to made for that moment today when someone was for once transparent. When it wasn't about looking cool or being liked it was just about being real.

O Lord I am so thankful for that! I am so thankful to see you working!

As I ponder over what it means to give up my life, to be willing to die for the cause I think that this is what it is about. Being there for others, sharing His love with them and understanding that the road is narrow! It is not just whatever you want to do that goes, but it is about completely giving it all up for Him. Am I willing to die for this faith? Yes, I am...that is how strongly I believe in Jesus.

If I am willing to die for Him, then I need to be willing to stand up for Him, no matter what. If people think that I am just some crazy conservative who takes the Bible literally, well then I think that makes me excited. If everyday I want to run away from this job that I have because it is too hard to show His love to my students or others around me...that is worth it! It is worth it because He is TRUTH! It is worth it because there is no sacrifice that is too great for Him!

He is WORTH It!