“Follow Me” can be Difficult

Called my 2 year old to follow me this morning, he was headed for the cow manure part of our yard… with bare feet. Whatever it was he was headed for he had to forget it and head toward me. He struggled a bit turning to me then back to where he was headed. Then back to me, finally he came back.

It occurred to me that when Jesus asks us to follow him, he is at the same moment also asking us to leave certain things behind.

Leave behind what we are doing, perhaps leave behind our ambitions, our hobbies, our careers, our easy and comfortable way of thinking, that he does not agree with.

Depending on our past this can be difficult, leaving the comfortable and pleasant for…wherever he leads us.

We get him in exchange for our lives.

Only a repentant person can do this, it is not easy. An easy pleasant life can make following him more difficult. In this way a pleasant, wealth filled, easy lifestyle is a major curse. It hinders us from following the one true king, it delays us, it causes us to second guess our life path.

Sometimes I wonder that if when life feels difficult, it’s his mercy and may cause us to follow him more easily in the future. Because we just won’t follow him otherwise.

Anything in life that is easy, comfortable and entertaining look at with suspect. What is it’s source? if it’s not Jesus himself, rethink it.

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Matt 16:24

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