You Can Find True Life

Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
Matthew 16:24-25

The crux of the gospel seems at first glance to be a contradiction: To follow our Lord and Savior, we must shoulder his cross. To find true life, we must be willing to lose our lives. God specializes in taking what makes sense to us and turning it upside down.

Confessing our belief in Christ as our Savior is only the first step. After we have done that, God calls us to follow him. That means that we must do as he did and go where he went. It requires that we set aside every selfish goal and seek first what God wants for and from us. This attitude transforms self-centeredness into God-centeredness. To shoulder our cross means that we obey no matter what, even to the point of death.

Do you understand the cost of following Christ? Are you willing to pay it? As you give up your life in order to be used by God, you will find true life. That’s a promise.

GOD’S PROMISE TO ME
• When you give up everything to follow me, you will not be disappointed.

• As you live for me, you will find true life.

MY PRAYER TO GOD
Lord, you say that your followers need to set aside their selfish ambition and shoulder their crosses. Help me to always seek your will, to set aside selfish ambitions and desires, and to trust that you have something far better in mind.