Following Jesus is an all-consuming pursuit, meaning, if we follow Him we have to follow Him all the way. It's all or nothing. Many find it hard to follow Him, but actually, the problem is very simple.
Counting the Cost
If we want to follow Christ we have to consider the cost. He Himself said in Luke 14:26-28:
"If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. But don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?"
True, the cost of following Christ is tremendous. The things that we have to let go of to be able to follow Him are in fact the very reasons why some find it hard.
What are the things that Christ wants us to do to be able to follow Him? Based on the passage, these are:
1. Prioritise Him Over Family and Friends
We have to prioritise Christ more than we do our precious family and beloved friends. Our relationships with them will rival our relationship with Christ if we don't put Him ahead of them.
2. Carry Our Crosses and Follow Him
Christ tells us we must carry our crosses. This could very well be interpreted as accepting our lot in life and living it according to God's pleasure. Christ's destiny was to be nailed to the cross. Our destiny in Him is to be like Him. And if we'll be like Him, we must be prepared to face all sorts of hardship.
The One Thing That Will Hinder Us
Friends, based on that passage, there's only one thing that will hinder us. No, it's not the persecution that we will face in following Christ. It's not the difficulty of the task that God has placed on our shoulders to represent Christ in this fallen world. No, it's not even the cost of constructing a building, if we take that verse literally.
The one thing that will hinder us is our self.
The self that doesn't want to be persecuted. The self that doesn't want to experience the hardships faced when doing what pleases the LORD. The self that doesn't want to rid itself of worldly pleasures that feel good to the flesh, but terribly condemns the soul.
Friends, no amount of financial lack, or religious persecution, or attacks in morality can ever stop us if we have set our face like flint in doing what pleases the Lord. The only thing that stops us is our own decision to stop – our own decision to not deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him. (see Matthew 16:24)
I hope we choose to deny ourselves so that we can follow Christ.
