God Almighty is our Father, who loves us and has a good plan for us. “Jesus told His disciples, if any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up the cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25) So often the expression, take up your cross is equated with the expression grin and bear it or suffer so one will be holy. The true meaning of this expression is, we as individuals or mankind, must take up our cross to have more freedom. The Lord has a particular task for each one of us, and taking up our crosses means denying what we want for our lives so that we can do His will.
Brothers and sisters, please take up your cross and follow Jesus, it is meant to experience joy in Christ. It is meant for you to experience peace amid storm, for in this world we can feel lost, but in Him we experience love.
Please let go of those things that you are struggling to let go of, so you can rest in the Lord.
As individuals, when we do what God created us for, then we experience true freedom, and peace.
The reason mankind chooses to do God’s will over our will is the longing we have for God. “Our hearts are restless until they find rest in You.” (St. Augustine). Most of us have longing for God but often we mistake that longing for other things in life. Once those things fail to satisfy us, then we feel our longing for God. It is only in the community of faith that we realize who we are and feel a sense of belonging.
Amen!!