Week 38 Devo | Take Up Your Cross

When I was in college, I HATED pre-season conditioning. I am not a great runner, and the timed mile was the foundation of our conditioning program.

We also did this thing called ‘Ladders.’ We would run 1 sprint, then we would jog back. Then we would run 3 sprints, and jog back. Next was 5 sprints, then 7, then 9, then 11, and finally, we would run 13 sprints and jog back. After that, we worked our way back down, running 11, then 9, then 7, then 5, then 3, and finally finishing with 1 last sprint.

Before we did the ladder, we would do a timed, half-mile warm-up, and after the ladder, we would do a timed, half-mile cool-down.

Those days were HARD. But halfway through my freshman year, I realized something: the conditioning was getting easier and easier, and I was starting to feel stronger and stronger physically and mentally. I then started to attack the workouts. My mantra became, “Beat the workouts; don’t let the workouts beat you.” I wasn’t the fastest, but I would push myself to run with the fast group. It was mental as much as physical.

In life, we must learn how to do hard things.

In Matthew 16, Jesus began telling his disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many hard things and that He would eventually be killed and raised on the 3^rd day (Matthew 16:21). Jesus’s disciple Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”

But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men (Matthew 16:22-23).”

Jesus knew that suffering was a part of the human experience, and He modeled for us how to suffer while still loving others, blessing others, and serving others.

Jesus then said to them:

“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. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done."

Jesus told his disciples that in this world, we will have troubles (John 16:33). The devil is real, and he comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. But He also said, "I have said these things so that you may have peace," and, "take heart; I have overcome the world. We can defeat the devil by taking up our cross and following Jesus. When we do that, we will be rewarded for what we have done.

Pray daily, read the Bible daily, and look for ways to love, serve, and bless others. Take some time each day to go in peace and think about Jesus, God, and the plans that He has for you. Go by yourself to a quiet place and allow God to speak to you and through you. Find ways to attack the day through the strength of God, knowing that the devil will be there to try to attack you back.

THIS WEEK

1 – Pray every day, read a Bible verse or chapter every day, and find time to sit in peace with God every day.

2 – What is one thing or obstacle that you are struggling with?

3 – Sit in peace and quiet for a few minutes and ask God to speak to you and help you.

4 – Is there a Bible verse or inspirational story that you can lean on when you are struggling?

My go-to verse is: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). Another go-to is: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

For a Google doc version of this devo, click here: Take Up Your Cross