And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:27

We Christ-followers are usually proud to accept our inheritance as children of God. We love the fact that the Holy Spirit is in us and with us always, no matter what. As the children of our gracious, loving King, we happily wear our crowns, identifying us as Christ’s own heirs. That’s the warm and fuzzy part. But the part we often choose to forget, is that we are also supposed to carry our crosses. 

When Jesus carried His cross to be crucified, everyone knew exactly what was about to happen. It wasn’t symbolic. It meant pain, suffering, and death. So when He told His followers to carry their crosses, He meant for them to surrender their plans in order to serve God's purposes. He meant for them to die to their own ways and their own agendas, and to live for His ways, His plans, and His Kingdom. He meant that following Him would lead to persecution, suffering, and possibly even death. Most importantly, He meant that by following Him, their crowns of righteousness would absolutely be worth it!

Following Jesus is easy when life is warm and fuzzy, but your true commitment is revealed during the trials, the suffering, and the struggles. So when you set that glorious crown on your head, be sure to build up your spiritual muscles. You will need them to carry your cross, follow Him, and be a true disciple. You are loved! 

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:13