Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after
Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Matthew 16:24
Your “cross” is God’s
will for you, regardless of the cost. Taking up your cross is a choice; it is
not beyond your control. You may have health problems or a rebellious child or
financial pressures, but do not mistake these as your “cross to bear.” Neither
circumstances you face nor consequences of your own actions are your cross.
Your cross will be to voluntarily participate in Christ’s sufferings as He
carries out His redemptive purposes (Phil. 3:10). Paul said he rejoiced in his sufferings because he knew that by
them he was able to participate in the suffering required to bring others into
Christian maturity (Col. 1:24).
We tend to want to go
immediately from “denying ourselves” to “following Jesus.” But you can never
follow Jesus unless you have first taken up your cross. There are aspects of
God’s redemptive work that can be accomplished only through suffering. Just as
Christ had to suffer in order to bring salvation, there will be hardships you
may have to endure in order for God to bring salvation to those around you.
Jesus did not talk with His disciples about the cross until they had come to
know He was the Christ (Matt. 16:21). You will never be able to endure the
suffering of the cross unless you have first been convinced that Jesus is the
Christ. Once you have settled your relationship with Christ, He will introduce
you to your cross.
There is no Christianity
without a cross. If you are waiting for a relationship with God that never
requires suffering or inconvenience, then you cannot use Christ as your model.
God’s will for you involves a cross. First, take up your cross, then you can
follow Him.
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