06/17/25 Counting the Cost

Takeaway: Discipleship requires sacrifice and commitment.

Opening Prayer (Tuesday)

Lord, I come before You seeking wisdom and clarity. Help me to discern Your will and make choices that honor You. Open my heart to Your truth as I spend time with You today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflection

Jesus never concealed the weight of discipleship. His call was not wrapped in platitudes of ease or worldly success. Instead, He spoke with piercing honesty: “Whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” These are hard words. In a culture where comfort and convenience are idolized, Jesus presents a different path marked by sacrifice, surrender, and enduring commitment. Following Him is not a side project or a casual hobby; it’s a daily decision to die to self and live fully for Him.

To carry your cross means more than bearing hardship or enduring life’s trials. In Jesus’ time, the cross was a symbol of death. When Christ calls us to carry our cross, He’s inviting us to embrace the death of our old selves: our selfish ambitions, the desire for control, the need for recognition, and the craving for worldly approval. Discipleship is not about fitting Jesus into our lives, it’s about letting Him reshape our lives completely. The cost is real. It might mean losing relationships, status, opportunities, or personal dreams. But the gain is far greater, even if we can’t see it.

Jesus urges us to count the cost not because He wants to discourage us, but because He wants our decision to follow Him to be rooted in truth, not emotion. Like someone preparing to build a house, we must ask: Are we ready to lay everything down? The cost of discipleship is high, but it is not a loss rather it is an exchange. We give up our small, temporary lives for the vast, eternal life of Christ in us.

Many begin the Christian journey with enthusiasm, but without a true understanding of what it demands. When the road grows hard, some fall away. Jesus knew this, which is why He speaks so plainly. He is not interested in half-hearted allegiance or conditional love. He calls for everything. Yet the beauty is that He does not ask us to carry the cross alone. The very One who bore His cross to Calvary walks with us. His strength sustains and His grace upholds.

Questions

Are there areas where you’ve tried to fit Jesus into your plans rather than surrendering to His?

When the cost of following Jesus feels heavy, where do you see His strength sustaining you?

Application

Talk to a mature believer about your struggles or questions in discipleship. Invite accountability and support for the journey.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, You never promised an easy road, but You promised to walk it with me. Help me not to shy away from the cost of following You. Teach me what it means to die to myself daily, and give me the strength to carry my cross with joy. Shape me into a disciple whose life is marked by surrender and faith, not by convenience or fear. I choose You again today: fully, honestly, and humbly. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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