The High Cost of Release

He's exaggerating, right?

He means that we should just be willing, right?

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple" —Luke 14:26.

"And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple" —Luke 14:27.

"…any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple" —Luke 14:33.

God doesn't exaggerate for effect. He says what He means, and means what He says. I wish He wouldn't give me so much to wrestle with so early in the morning.

I had some words to look up. "Hate" here means "to detest" and, by extension, "to love less." Pretty sure I knew what the word "disciple" meant, I looked it up anyway. No rocket science here, it simply means "a learner."

Last night, I did a mental health check only to discover that out of ten causes of depression, seven characterize my life at this moment. It's not bad, but it's there. Over these last months I have regularly begged the Lord to deliver me out of this pit into which I am falling. I finally stopped struggling and this morning He sent me this.

Embrace the isolation and lack of social support. Hug the underemployment. Accept the chronic pain, the stressful environment. Give up release and rescue from all of these, and more…

…to be a learner when I have so much I want to teach.

This was interesting because I look at others and ask the Lord why I can't produce as they do. And He tells me like He once told Peter when he asked about John's future: "…what is that to you? You must follow me" (John 21:22). My path is not theirs, and how God works in theirs is not my business, except to rejoice with them and encourage them along the way.

Today, in my particular circumstances, letting go of everything and being a learner at the feet of the Teacher, is all I can do. It seems to be all that He is asking of me.

If that's all He wants for right now, then that needs to be as much my will as it is His.

Comments

  1. The Lord asked me one time a simple question: How can you lose it? And I found the answer later in scripture: By seeking to save it. [He who seeks to save his life will lose it, but he who loses his life for My sake will find it...]
    Not a popular truth, perhaps, but true nonetheless. Sometimes our circumstances are difficult, but it's comforting to know we are not alone as He is always with us, and also we all go through similarly difficult circumstances. God bless you today, and thanks for sharing simple truth.

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  2. Lynda - He is right there. And, I know, He is your focus. Hold onto that. Wonderful truth for all of us.

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