Running after Him

Mark 8:34-35

"Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.


I often wonder what it would have been like to live when Jesus did. To see Him, to witness the miracles He performed. I think that sometimes we as Christians struggle with trusting God because the enemy uses sight as a reason to stray. He (the enemy) implants thoughts of disbelief because it is so easy to see evil especially when we are apart of such an imperfect world. As I ventured into Guatemala on my first mission trip my eyes were opened in such a way I could never have imagined it. I thought to myself that I would go and help make an impact on a part of the world that needed God's love. I would go and spread the name of Jesus and the message of hope. But God had a different plan for me, as he always does, he changed me more on that trip then any impact I could have left behind.  In a place where people have so little I saw Jesus everywhere I went. His love radiated from the people I met. All they had was hope and they believe with all their heart that Jesus loved them without an ounce of doubt. So why do I struggle? Why do I, when it is so obvious that I am blessed, find myself doubting God's love for me? I pondered this and realized that the answer is so simple. I allow my sight to hinder me. I allow what I can see of this world to distract me from God's love. As it says in Mark 8:34-35 we as Christian need to pick up our cross, but what happens when other things enter into our lives? We find ourselves putting down our cross and picking up things of this world. The eyes God has blessed us with tend to stray, but we can change that. We can pick up our cross and continue to carry it if we begin to see with the eyes of our spirit. To turn our minds to a heavenly mindset. Now let's be honest we are always going to stuggle. There are always going to be times in which we feel alone. Even as we carry the cross the enemy is going to continue to come in and try to make us lighten the load. Yet we can find peace in the one who made us. We can find rest in the one who bore the strips on his back and the thorns on his head. As Christians we can  trust that as we run to Him that His arms will open and embrace us no matter the struggle; no matter what the enemy says we are never alone. So my challenge for you today is to see God's love everywhere you go even when you're struggling. When you're in the mist of the storm show God's love to others. Let your actions speak louder than any words can. By God's grace we are saved and by his love we have victory so run. Run to him let him embrace you and rest assure in everything he promises.