"Then He said to them all: If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." Luke 9:23
It is our own cross, and not some other man's which we are to take up. It is the particular cross that God lays at our own feet, which we are to bear. We are never to make crosses for ourselves but we are always to accept those which our heavenly Father has allotted to us. Each one's own cross is the best for him.
Sometimes we think that our circumstances are peculiarly hard, and we compare it with the circumstances of this or that other person, and wish we had his cross instead of our own. But we do not know what other people's crosses really are. If we did, we might not want to exchange. If we put that cross which seems woven of flowers on our shoulders we might find it filled with sharp thorns under the flowers! That cross of gold which seems so bright we would find so heavy that it would crush us!
The easiest cross for each one of us to bear, is our own!
"Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation which God called him to!" 1 Corinthians 7:24
"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in poverty. I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength!" Philippians 4:11-13
(J.R. Miller)
Whatever our cross...we can be thankful that God will give us no more than we can bear. He has given us so many beautiful promises in His Word - words of strength and encouragement, and He has also blessed us with godly, wonderful writers like J.R. Miller whose writings are such precious treasures.
ReplyDeletePraying for you as always.
love,
Susan