Whenever I think of Luke 9:23 NIV, “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” It makes me think, “What is my cross.” I get embarrassed by my cross. Most of what needs to be put to death are first world problems. I don’t count my daughter’s extreme GAD as a cross, more of an opportunity to trust him and see what he is going to do. When I think of my cross, I think of what in my life needs to be put to death on a daily basis. Here is my list of things I daily need to put to death.
- Gluttony
- Lack of Transparency (I need to practice being completely honest with my husband.)
- Lack of Exercise (I have health issues that require certain exercises to be done daily to stay healthy.)
- Lack of Devotions/spiritual development (Now I’m getting real.)
As I look at this list, this is a list of prevention for living joyfully. If I put Gluttony to death, I will love life more. If I put deception to death, all the things I hide will be off my shoulders and I can share the load with my husband. If I did my exercises, I would be energized and be uplifted and hopeful. If I sought God with all my heart, I would find him. Jer. 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Romans 8:13, “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”
I’m not writing this to be a buzzkill. Jesus is instructing us on how to be joyful and thrive. John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
John 15:11 says, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
Jesus wants to live to the full and our joy to be complete. Why do we cling to these habitual sins that drag us down like weights we can’t remove.
I would like to put these things to death once and for all, but according to Jesus, this is a daily/consistent murder of our flesh through the Spirit of God. Well, sign me up.
Crucified with Christ by Phillips Craig and Dean
Jesus Paid It All (Oh Praise the One) by Alex NiFong, Elvina Hall, John Grape
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