Making My Cross easier to bear

Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

So far all preachers that I heard on this topic stressed on denying themselves in order to follow Jesus. They painted a story of the needs of suffering for Christ.

Actually, the ability to bear the burden depends not on how great and able are we to suffer for Him but on knowing how good Christ is. The more we know His goodness and love, deserving all we can do and have for Him, the easier it is for us to deny ourselves. The more we preached on His goodness and less on our sufferings and the burden, the more we don't feel we are denying ourselves of anything; because knowing and experiencing Him is worth so much more. Hence Paul can boldly proclaim in Philippians 3:8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.

To gain Christ, I am willing to forgo all. Please note that, what Paul counted as losses were not his weaknesses nor sins, but rather his position as a Pharisee of Pharisees, the protegee, his zeals for God etc. Things that the world and us will value highly.

So Paul says again, 2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

We should not just preach denying ourselves as if we are suffering for Christ and hence claiming credits that God owe us. But rather, as Paul, we forgo whatever, be it riches, comfort, honors, pleasures, that stop us from gaining Christ. We willing forgo such. The exchange is worth it, many times more. Do we know Jesus as good as that?

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he can never lose. – Jim Elliot.

Am I missing anything? Am I suffering without purpose? Consider what you are gaining.

Lim Liat (c) 19-7-17