No Matter The Cost: Following Jesus Beyond Comfort

One of my favorite worship songs is "Follow You Anywhere" by Passion. I've played this song at almost every camp where I've led worship. It's not just a fun song; it's a song with powerful lyrics that resonate deeply with me. The bridge is especially impactful. It says, "Wherever you lead me, whatever it costs me, all I want is you, Jesus." Though I've sung the song many times, I often wonder if those singing it, myself included, actually know what we are promising. "No matter the cost" is one of those sayings that we have heard in the Church and repeated without truly understanding the weight it carries. That said, I can only speak for myself when I say I've found myself guilty of saying those words, but not living it in my actions. Following Christ requires full surrender. It has taken me a long time to realize that following Christ shouldn't be easy. After all, it requires dying to oneself to live for Christ.

If following Jesus feels easy, I would challenge whether you're genuinely following Him. In God's Kingdom, learning and living are inseparable. The truths in God's word are meant to be lived, not just understood. It's meant to be practical, not just theoretical. What I mean is, it's meant to be lived out, not just understood. The only knowledge that is useful FOR God is knowledge that is connected to living for God. At the end of our days when we stand before the Lord, we won't be asked what we know. We will be asked what we did. While salvation is for all who put their trust in Christ, being a disciple is for those who are willing to pay the price that it takes to follow Him.

Matthew 16:24 says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." In this verse, Christ is talking about the need for His disciples to take up their cross daily. I believe today's world has watered down what it means to fully surrender to Christ. We have formatted Christianity to make it fit into our lives rather than surrendering our lives daily to the one who surrendered everything for us. So let's explore this idea a bit further.

In Luke 9, three men approach Jesus while He is traveling and seek to follow Him. In verse 57, Jesus warns the man, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” In this, He is not discouraging the man from following Him but rather demonstrating what it will cost him. Following Christ isn't always comfortable; even the Son of Man wasn't guaranteed a place to sleep, yet He pressed on. There will be challenges and blessings alike. Later on, another man approaches Jesus and says, "I will follow you, but let me bury my dad first". Many take this to mean that the man either had an inheritance he wanted to collect or he wanted to get all his finances and possessions in order before following Christ. Jesus responds in verse 60 by saying, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Now this verse can be confusing. Jesus isn't telling the man to dishonor his father. Rather, He is telling the man to not let his physical desires interfere with his spiritual destiny. He is saying, "Don't let anything come in between following me." This is such a profound statement. Christ doesn't want us to wait to follow Him until it's comfortable and secure for us. He asks us to take up our cross and go.

The next man in the passage says "I will follow you Jesus, but let me say goodbye to my family first." I love Jesus' response to this. He says, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” A plow is a tool used in farming. When used, the farmer must have both hands on the plow and keep his focus forward. If a farmer takes his hand off or looks behind him, his path will stray. Similarly, we can become distracted by past comforts or others' blessings, losing sight of our path. The paths around us look more appealing so we take our hands off the plow and head in a different direction. God can't use us if we're constantly looking back, ready to abandon our mission. A disciple must be fully committed, with no divided loyalties. They need to be in a posture of full surrender.

Matthew 5:13 says, "But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot." Christians who offer lip service and are only in their best shape come Sunday morning are useless to themselves and those around them. Sadly, we have watered-down surrender, and most of the people who claim to be Christians today lack a basic understanding of Christian doctrine. Knowledge of the kingdom without action for the kingdom results in minimal contribution to the kingdom. When Jesus spoke these words, He was on His final journey to Jerusalem, heading to the cross to pay for our sins. In those days, seeing a man carrying a cross in first-century Jerusalem meant he was on his way to execution. Similarly, if we are serious about our faith, we must recognize that it will cost us everything just as it costs Jesus everything. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, glorify God with your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

A couple of summers ago, I felt the Lord calling me to stay in Tennessee instead of going home to Wisconsin. I hated the thought of being away from my family for longer than I already had been. Yet, I felt this nudge in my heart... a nudge that told me God had something planned that I didn't. After many tears and a saddened heart, I reluctantly stayed. Throughout that summer, I watched as the Lord opened door after door. I watched as He affirmed the calling He had for me, I watched as He used me for His kingdom, and as He gifted me my soon-to-be husband. If I wouldn't have followed the Lord, I would've missed so many wonderful lessons and blessings. I almost let the physical desires of my heart stand in the way of my spiritual destiny.

Yet, here I am again, my final summer before I graduate facing the same decision. Do I follow God's calling and the door He opened even if it means being farther away from everyone I hold close? Though I am nervous, I am saying yes to the Lord once again. That's not to brag on me because I have chosen the wrong path more times than not. I say all this, though, to demonstrate that the action of taking up your cross isn't a one-time thing. It is a sacrifice you will need to make over and over again. Many of us mistakenly believe that conversion is a one-time, radical event finalized by praying "the sinner's prayer." We fail to account for the ongoing commitment required to live the life we've chosen. We cannot be faithful to Scripture and downplay the heavy price each of us must pay. While salvation is free, discipleship is costly, but it will always be worth it in the end.

May your roots run deep, and your faith remain strong! As always, Stay Rooted, my friends! <3