It’s so hard sometimes following Christ. So many times, I’ve wanted the easy road. I’ve wanted to stick my head in the sand and just go with the flow.
Walk away.
Avoid the conflict.
Just keep my mouth shut.
Except I can’t.
I trust God more than I trust me. I believe Him. I believe His Word and that it can be trusted more than my emotions or affections.
But it’s still hard.
I don’t like conflict. But Jesus was very clear that following Him would bring it to bare in our lives.
He said” Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matt 10:32-39)
But what does it mean to confess Christ and not deny Him?
It means we choose God’s ways, as defined in His Word, over our emotions or affections—and sometimes this means even over our dreams, our comforts, and even relationships that are dear to us.
In the recent weeks, I’ve watched several do just this. They’ve laid down the easy way, their comfortable places, even their dream jobs, to hold tight to truth and righteousness over the ways of this world.
They’ve refused to call wrong things right, and they are paying a cost for that right now.
It is far from easy. Friends don’t understand. Human relationships have been broken, and they are very aware that they would not find themselves in this difficult place except they take their faith so seriously.
They believe God means what He says in His Word, and that what He calls sin, always causes pain.
They trust God more than they trust themselves, and it is costing them right now. They’ve lost sleep, and they’ve lost relationships, and a few may lose more than that.
They’ve taken up their crosses and died to self to follow Jesus, but in doing so, they have found Jesus to be so faithful and so very true.
He sees their sacrifices and He will bless. For who can out-give God? If we, who are flawed, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more does our perfect, Heavenly Father see and want to give good gifts to us? (Matt 7:11)
How much more?
Oh friend, so much more!
God sees the sacrificial choices you’ve made to follow Him and He will bless.
As martyred missionary, Jim Elliot said, “He is no fool who gives what He cannot keep to gain what He cannot lose.”
I’m reminded of the truth of an old song, “I Surrender All” by Clay Crosse—
“I have wrestled in the darkness
of this lonely pilgrim land
Raising strong and mighty fortresses
that I alone command
But these castles
I’ve constructed by the
strength of my own hand
Are just temporary kingdoms
on foundations made of sand
In the middle of the battle
I believe I’ve finally found
I’ll never know the thrill of victory
’til I’m willing to lay down
All my weapons of defense and
earthly strategies of war
So I’m laying down my arms and
running helplessly to Yours
I surrender all my silent hopes and dreams
Though the price to follow costs me everything
I surrender all my human soul desires
If sacrifice requires
That all my kingdoms fall
I surrender all
If the source of my ambition
is the treasure I obtain
If I measure my successes on
a scale of earthly gain
If the focus of my vision
is the status I attain
My accomplishments are
worthless and my efforts are in vain
So I lay aside these trophies
to pursue a higher crown
And should You choose somehow
to use the life I willingly lay down
I surrender all the triumph for
it’s only by Your grace
I relinquish all the glory,
I surrender all the praise
Everything I am, all I’ve done,
and all I’ve known
Now belongs to You,
the life I live is not my own
Just as Abraham laid Isaac
on the sacraficial fire
If all I have is all that You desire
I surrender all”
If all I have
is all that you desire,
I surrender all. ❤️
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Kim Jaggers Ministry 