Wouldn't It Be Nice

"In a world where everything revolves around self -- protect yourself, promote yourself, preserve yourself, entertain yourself, comfort yourself, take care of yourself -- Jesus said, "Slay yourself" (Platt, 3). 

The cost of discipleship has truly been on my mind as of late. Sometimes I think of how nice it'd be to be able to live my own life the way I want to, with my close friends and family always nearby, perfectly content. Sometimes I think this would solve so many of my hurts as I see dear ones jump continents in order to follow Christ. Sometimes I think these things, and sometimes I might be right.

"Then Jesus told His disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" (Matthew 16: 24-26)

I don't want to make it seem as if following Jesus is something we drudge through or that we have to do in order for God to love us, but there is a cost. In taking up our cross and following Jesus, we're led to His death. We're led to our death there too -- because at that cross we joyously claim His death and resurrection and are new creations in Him. But Jesus doesn't say it will be easy. In fact, He says it will be hard! People are going to hate us, scoff us, perhaps even kill us.

Whoa, that sounds a little intense coming from my comfortable couch with the sun shining through in my living room. But the Christian walk is so much more than "accepting Jesus into your heart" or "praying the sinner's prayer". It's about repenting of ourselves and allowing the Holy Spirit to make us more like Christ every day. There is pain in this to be sure, but somehow we also find abundant joy here as well! 

That joy comes in peace with the Father. As we live in Christ's sacrifice for us, we have perfect peace with the Lord, whom we have disobeyed to the utmost. We have peace now as we live free in His grace daily, and we will also have peace eternally in heaven. Suddenly, the trials and sacrifices of following Jesus here begin to diminish. 

Consider the hymn writer's words:

1. Sometimes the day seems long,

Our trials hard to bear.

We´re tempted to complain,

to murmur and despair.

But Christ will soon appear

to catch his bride away!

All tears forever over

in God’s eternal day!

CHORUS:

It will be worth it all

when we see Jesus!

Life’s trials will seem so small

when we see Christ.

One glimpse of his dear face,

all sorrow will erase.

So, bravely run the race

till we see Christ.

2. At times the sky seems dark,

with not a ray of light;

We’re tossed and driven on,

no human help in sight.

But there is One in heaven,

Who knows our deepest care;

Let Jesus solve your problems,

just go to him in prayer.

3. Life’s day will soon be o’re,

all storms forever past;

We’ll cross the great divide

to Glory, safe at last!

We’ll share the joys of heaven:

a harp, a home, a crown;

The tempter will be banished,

We’ll lay our burdens down.

I'm not going to tell you that following Jesus is easy or safe. I'm going to tell you that following Jesus involves death -- death to ourselves as well as living in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus! We now live in His life. And oh, what joy we find even amongst the minor difficulties we're faced with today. Because it will be worth it all when we see Jesus!