Pick It Up
“Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
If we want to be faithful disciples, we have to accept our crosses. When I see a cross, my instinct is to get rid of it as soon as possible. Instead of faithfully carrying my crosses, I try to find a shortcut. I look for the path of least resistance, and I head in that direction.
And if my cross seems like too much to bear or will take too long or be too messy, I try to pull the plug - either ignore that cross or cut out the cross entirely. But you can’t do that with crosses.
Crosses are meant to be carried.
My crosses, great and small, are meant to be carried. I’m not meant to drag my cross or shove it - I’m meant to carry it. There is a different dignity in carrying your cross. When I choose to pick up my cross and carry it, I am demonstrating my respect for the cross.
Each cross, each suffering, deserves respect because it brings us closer to the Father, and it forms our character. When we carry a cross, we recognize our need more deeply. The weight of the cross breaks us down and creates an environment for us to struggle into deeper intimacy with God and to encounter our need for humility within ourselves. Crosses are hard, and we can’t carry them alone.
Even Jesus received help with His cross.
For some reason, I expect myself to carry my cross perfectly, which never happens. My crosses are usually messy, filled with failures, and rife with heartbreak. But that’s the place where God transforms me. He breaks me down to build me up. And each time I rise, I am stronger and better than before I fell.
Sisters, we will fall carrying our crosses.
Just as Jesus did, we can expect to fall when we carry our crosses. We don’t want to, and we’ll try not to - but we’re not perfect, sisters. It’s painful, but it’s true. But God uses every fall as an opportunity to show the wideness of His mercy and the depths of His love.
So, pick up your cross. Pick it up, because it is through the cross that you will meet Him, know Him, and be known by Him. When we stumble carrying our crosses, we get to receive a greater measure of grace and mercy. We need that. I need that. I need Him. Thank You, God, for the cross so I may know You and Your heart more.
Father,
Thank You for our crosses. Thank You for making us humble, for showing us how much we need you, and for loving us through it all.
Please help us to love like You, to give ourselves away, and to be radically merciful with each other and with ourselves.
We want to live connected to You. Help us to grow into the women we’re called to be through our crosses.
We love You, God. Amen.