Words of Encouragement: Mark 8:34-35

When he had called the people to himself, with his disciples also, he said to them, whoever desires to come after me let him take up his cross and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospels, will find it.
                                                                                 Mark 8:34-35

When Mark wrote this passage of scripture he was originally talking to the Romans and they understood what taking up a cross meant. Death on a cross was a way that dangerous criminals were executed in that time in Rome.  A prisoner was required to carry his own cross to the place where he would be hung on it to signify Rome's Power. Jesus uses this idea of carrying ones cross to symbolize the total submission that he requires of his followers.  Jesus does not want us to have a miserable life. In fact he wants us to have life, and life to the fullest, neither is he saying that we should seek pain needlessly for his sake.  Paul was talking about making an effort daily and in each moment to do his will even when the future does not look the way you want it to.  Jesus was telling the Roman citizens that following him would not be easy.   We should be willing to lose our lives for the sake of the gospel not because our lives are useless but because nothing- not even life itself can compare to what we gain with Christ.  And as Christians living in the United States, most of the time we wont even be asked to do the "hard stuff" ... We wont ever be asked to die for Jesus, or live in the third world countries for his ministry, but Paul says we will have to make sacrifices and we will have to lay down our lives in a sense that we may not live by our goals, and our desires, and our choosing. Jesus wants us to make a conscious choice to follow him every day, rather than lead a life of sin and self satisfaction  He wants us to stop trying to control our own lives and allow him to direct us.  This makes perfect sense because he is the creator, The Lord knows better than we do what real life is about, all he asks for is our submission, not self hatred, he only asks us to loose our self centered determination to be in charge.

If The Lord cares for the animals and the rest of the earth and they are always provided for, how much more would he do for the people he loves, are made in his image, and sent his only son to the earth to die for.

All he's asking is that we give up the control of our own lives and allow him to control our path.  He will bless us far more than we will ever expect if we will just let go of our lives and surrender them to him.