When Jesus calls us into discipleship, He tells us to count the cost. Jesus said, "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'" (Luke 14:27-30) We must count the cost because Satan will use everything in his arsenal to dissuade and distract those whom God raises up to bear Him fruit and build His kingdom.
It is important to note that the verse immediately prior to Luke 14:27 is Jesus telling those whom He calls, "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:26). Jesus is telling us that those whom we love the most, those whom are closest to our hearts, those to whom we are most vulnerable, will often be the ones used to hurt and distract us the most. Even our very own self will be used to distract us, our fears, our insecurities, the shame of past sins and failures, all the things that will serve to instill doubt in what Jesus is calling us to do. Jesus is not telling us to hate ourselves or those closest to us, He is telling us that we cannot value any perspective or opinion, including our own, over His and what He is calling us to do.
If you are called, don't give up. Daily ask God to search your heart and point out the things that are displeasing to Him, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way." (Psalm 139:23). Get right with God, stay right with God and set your face like flint and finish your race and let God deal with the rest.
"Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like flint, determined to do His will. And I know that I will not be put to shame." (Isaiah 50:7)
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace." (Acts 20:24)
It is important to note that the verse immediately prior to Luke 14:27 is Jesus telling those whom He calls, "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:26). Jesus is telling us that those whom we love the most, those whom are closest to our hearts, those to whom we are most vulnerable, will often be the ones used to hurt and distract us the most. Even our very own self will be used to distract us, our fears, our insecurities, the shame of past sins and failures, all the things that will serve to instill doubt in what Jesus is calling us to do. Jesus is not telling us to hate ourselves or those closest to us, He is telling us that we cannot value any perspective or opinion, including our own, over His and what He is calling us to do.
If you are called, don't give up. Daily ask God to search your heart and point out the things that are displeasing to Him, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way." (Psalm 139:23). Get right with God, stay right with God and set your face like flint and finish your race and let God deal with the rest.
"Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like flint, determined to do His will. And I know that I will not be put to shame." (Isaiah 50:7)
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace." (Acts 20:24)
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