Thursday’s Thought: “Taking Up Our Crosses”

If Jesus said to pick up our crosses daily and follow Him, then why do we live as we do?

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)

Taking up our cross isn’t being inconvenienced nor is it carrying around some burden. It doesn’t mean to stay in some thankless dead-end job, or to have a sickness or disease, where we say, “This is the cross I have to bear.”

What it means to pick up one’s cross is to die to our own selfish desires so that we can live for God and the destiny He has for our lives.

God has a destiny for us. It involves our family, work, and ministry. His destiny is for us to be those men and women God has called us to be, and that is men or women after God’s own heart.

Back when Rome ruled the world, whenever someone carrying a cross, no one wondered what kind of burden they may be bearing, rather it was well known that they were going to their death.

To pick up one’s cross means to be willing to die for the cause of Christ. It’s being willing to surrender all to God.

Jesus said, “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?” (Luke 9:24-25)

Therefore, daily we need to purpose to pick up the cross of Christ and live for Him.