by Jonathan Dirmann=“https://uzn16h.infiniteuploads.cloud/2022/04/day-20-300×300.png” alt=”Jonathan Dirmann” width=”300″ height=”300″ />

What Does it Say?

Luke 9:23-26 (NKJV) Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

 

What Does it Mean?

This passage in Luke tells us that if “anyone” desires to go after Jesus, they must first deny themselves, take up their cross “daily” and follow Him. This means that if you desire to go after Jesus, it comes with responsibility. Not just any responsibility, though, a daily one! Jesus didn’t ask you to take up your cross weekly, He asked you to take it up every day. Making a conscious decision to surrender to Jesus daily and therefore “losing your life” is how you will actually save it and find the direction that He has for you.

What Does it Mean to Us?

There is no way to find the calling that God has for you while skipping what this passage says. Too many believers attempt to find the direction that God has for their life without losing first it. This doesn’t work. Not even Jesus could land in calling that the Father had for Him without first sacrificing His own preferences and desires. We see examples of this when Jesus said that He only says what the Father says, despite having His own thoughts that He wanted to say. Also, when He pleaded with the Father that “this cup” (dying on the cross) would pass from Him, He said, “Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done.” Jesus had His own preferences but laid them down to accomplish what He was called to do.

Response

There is no getting around the fact that you cannot see the full potential that God has for you without first letting go of your life and allowing Him make the decisions on the direction of it. Because of this, take a moment and ask the Lord if there are some areas that you’ve held onto in your life that He’s calling you to let go of. As backwards as it sounds, when you truly let go of your life and endure the discomfort that it initially brings, you will truly find it. When you do find it, there is true fulfillment and joy that comes with it.