Many of us remember the words of Christ when he tells us that we must deny ourselves take up our cross and follow him. In fact, when we are devoted to Jesus Christ, we spend a great deal of our life trying to figure out how we can do that better. Still no matter how hard we try, we find ourselves coming ups short. “We” try and try, but we come up short of what we know God wants for our lives. Being successful planners, organizers, and leaders, “We” decide to take on the task. “We” decide that “we” are going to take on this cross carrying project, “we” are going to achieve great success, and “we” are going to keep on until “we” get it right. I hope that you are starting to see the one common ingredient behind our frustrations. Our problem is not our intentions. I know that as Christians we want nothing else than to be what God has called us to be. The problem is that we are not going to be what God wants us to be until we completely surrender to Jesus, his will, his way, and his plan. In Luke 9 we read;
23-27Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat—I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? If any of you is embarrassed with me and the way I'm leading you, know that the Son of Man will be far more embarrassed with you when he arrives in all his splendor in company with the Father and the holy angels. This isn't, you realize, pie in the sky by and by. Some who have taken their stand right here are going to see it happen, see with their own eyes the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:23-27 The Message)
If we are to become what God wants, we must let him lead. God wants nothing less than to be our pilot and putting Him in the co-pilot seat simple will not suffice. By His very nature, God wants to lead. He gives us free will to do as we want, but his desire is to have complete control. The end will be a crown for those who accept His place in their lives, but be warned, the road to the crown is often tough. Jesus rarely leads us down the path of least resistance instead he takes us down the road that he can use us to make the greatest difference. I have discovered that God get the greatest good out of me when he puts me in situations that I have no choice but to depend on him. It’s in times in my life that I realize that I am in over my head that I look to him for answers, strength, and endurance. It’s in those times that I truly take up my cross; it’s in those times that I give God his rightful place in my life. Most important of all, it’s in times of complete surrender that I find my greatest joy and purpose. The question is, will we move over and give God His rightful place in our lives? Are we willing to let him drive? I encourage you to join me, lose control and follow. Once you do, hang on! It’s going to be a wild ride!
~Mike
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