about picking up your cross

Picking up your cross of suffering and following our Lord Jesus is a choice you make. Perhaps in your life, your decision for Christ was made so long ago you have forgotten about the implications of choosing Him. This message is to be a reminder of your choice and a reminder your suffering is to be dedicated to Christ. In your suffering, you can turn away from Christ, as many people do. However, if you remain with Him in your trials, you become one of His most precious treasures. God can see every moment of your hardship. In every darkness, God is with you. Suffering, for some people, is a way of life. For some people, their faithfulness in suffering is the greatest kind of prayer any human could ever pray. God glories in your faithfulness in the dark times.

When you suffer God pours out His blessings, power, and grace upon you and through you. As you remain faithful in hardship, God does greater works through you. Although we do not always see what and how God works, the power of love you exert by standing firm in faithfulness surely unleashes His power in the world. He did not admonish you to carry your cross for no reason. He admonished you to carry your cross so His kingdom would be empowered upon the earth through people like you. Matthew 10:38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (NIV) with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 55 "Where, O death, is your victory? (NIV)