What Will It Cost You?

To believe is cheap and costs us nothing. But to follow Christ is costly, and He asks us first to consider the great cost.  - Selected

No one ever said that it would be easy to follow Christ. Undoubtedly, many begin the journey with Christ fully motivated, but for various reasons drift away. Sure, we all desire happiness, blessings, and fulfillment without a whole lot of effort, correct? I'm pretty certain that this is one big reason why many are drawn to Christ in the first place.

John 4:14 is a great example of where Jesus promises blessing and fulfillment to any and all who follow Him. Even so, people are totally thrown off when they find the way of Christ is not as easy as they originally thought. They discover that becoming a follower of Jesus Christ can be flat out demanding.

This is where many who are initially drawn to Jesus get stymied. They don't understand that blessing and hardship are not mutally exclusive; the two are actually conjoined. Christ cautioned that if you choose to follow Him you must deny yourself and bear a daily cross (Luke 9:23). The disciples pretty much left everything they had, and had known, to follow Jesus. In return for their faithfulness he promised them a mulitude of blessings (Mark 10:28-30).

What does this mean? It means that while there is a certain amount of hardship involved if one decides to follow Christ, this hardship also comes with a purpose; which ultimately leads to the joy of the Lord. One must realize that you don't get something for nothing.

The follower of Jesus Christ will certainly encounter worldly resistance. 2 Timothy 3:12 brings our attention to this fact. And nowhere did Jesus ever tell His disciples that that becoming a follower would be a walk in the park. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Trials and tribulation would shadow them along their journey (John 16:33). The same holds true today.

Curiously, after one makes the decision to be saved is when the real work begins. We're all born sinners; every one of us (Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:23). Nothing changes this fact just because one converts. As a matter of fact, this initiates the internal struggle against sin inside all who follow Christ.

Christians attempting to live righteously wage this battle throughout their lives. Think of this as a spiritual battle. However, we are not without any weaponry for this fight. God, in His grace and mercy, provides us with some powerful armament (Ephesians 6:13).

In summary, living the Christian life is never painless, nor is it effortless. It does take work, and involves some cost on your part. Nothing worthwhile comes easy. After all, even God gave up His only Son in order so you and I could be free from the shackles of sin (John 3:16). Thus, the eternal reward one gains as a follower of Christ far outweighs any worldly sacrifice.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:1-2; 1 Peter 2:21; Matthew 16:24; John 15:18; John 16:13  

Prayer: Dear Jesus, as a follower of You, I am well aware that I will encounter both those who are open to Your grace and mercy; and those who aren't. I pray that You will continue to bless and encourage those who are, and soften the hearts of those who aren't. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Brynn