"Things" that keep us from following Jesus
- John Alwood
- Apr 14, 2010
- Series: Infusion Blog
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by John Alwood
So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. - Luke 14:33
How much do I need to give up to follow Jesus? I mean, really follow Jesus? Jesus was pretty clear that unless we are willing to give up everything (yes everything) we cannot be his disciple.
Does this mean I need to quit drinking, quit smoking, quit my job, give up my girlfriend, my money, my insecurities, my schedule, my control, my standard of living, my quality of life, etc? It may. It may not.
We all have that "thing" we can't imagine God would ever demand we give up to follow him. Yet, God is intensely jealous for His glory, and he has every right to be. If these "things" are illegal, abusive, or they explicitly go against God's commands (e.g. don't kill people), it is usually pretty easy to discern that God wants them out of our life.
However, what about these more important pressing questions: Do these "things" control you? Are they your functional savior? Do you turn to them for comfort, meaning, identity, purpose? Do they substitute Christ and the community in which he has placed you? Are they a way to avoid the difficult work of authentic confession and repentance?
There is often a fine line between idolatrous excess and the freedom we are allowed because of God's grace.
The way to assess our allegiance to Christ is to ask if Jesus is really sufficient for us. If we really believe he is, does it change our priorities, decisions, and the way we live?