You know we carry a lot of things. We carry our weight and issues there of (whether you are overweight or very slim someone is criticizing you). We carry hurts from our past. We carry hang-ups that literally keep us on the hook, and it makes us difficult to get off of it and move forward. We even carry habits that make it harder for us break free....but all of these things don't amount to cross.
See the cross is not your co-workers, and your issues with them. Your cross is not your marriage. Your cross is not your (jalopy) car. But rather your cross is your instrument of persecution. Contrary to this whole NAME IT AND CLAIM IT, COMFORTABLE, NICE LOOKING CROSS AROUND YOUR NECK, HAPPY MEAL CHRISTIANITY culture.......carrying the cross of CHRIST is painful. It's humiliating...and like the picture it's hard. It's what pieces of you, that need to be crucified so that you may be Christ-like to that spouse, or to your neighbors or whomever it is that need to know the love of God. In order for anyone to be saved, someone has to be sacrificed.
Carrying your cross means that you will find yourself dying to yourself daily. This means that part of you that likes to flip people off, curse people out, deceitfully lie, cheat on your taxes, cheat on your marriage and obligations in relationships, that don't fellowship after church, that backbites and gossips, that seeks comfort over the needs of others, that complains more than you encourage, that figures out ways and reasons why not to sign up for ______________________ to serve God/His church NEEDS TO DIE!
Christ gave up the comforts of heaven to give up His life so that we may have ETERNAL LIFE. Simply put, what are you giving up and for who are you doing it for? CARRY YOUR CROSS on your BACK, not around your neck. LGLP
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