The Cost of Following Jesus

Scripture

Isaiah 51:10-11

“Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on their God. But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment.”

Observation

Confused? After reading these verses for the first time I remember sitting in my room awestruck of what I just read. At first it didn't make sense to me. It didn't seem fair to me that torment is the "reward" for faithfulness. Why would God promise conflict for his children for doing what is right? But when I took the time and meditated on this verse, the truth became prevalent to me: following Jesus comes at a cost.

Application

So what is the cost of following Jesus?

You may be wondering this, and I have a simple answer for you... everything. If you decide to follow Jesus, you sacrifice the acceptance and love that the world offers you. When you decide to follow Jesus, you accept the unconditional love offered by Jesus while simultaneously accepting the hate of the world. Jesus and our sinful world have two very different definitions of love. There is no way of living that grants you both the love of Jesus and the love of the world. This fine line is what distinguishes the true followers of Jesus from the lukewarm followers of Jesus. Many new believers expect life to become easy after they accept Jesus as their savior, but this is completely backwards. God doesn't promise an easy life, he actually promises a hard life. The world will hate us because we don't live by their standards. We want to live like Jesus lived, talk like Jesus talked, and love like Jesus loved. And when you live righteously, your life won't necessarily be easy, but you will have true peace, not having to worry about the future and not having to live a life ruled by guilt and shame. Following Jesus comes at a cost, but if you decide to take it, you will never regret it.

The next time you experience hardships in this world, take time and pray to God, thanking and praising him for his unconditional love. Remember that it is better to be loved by God and hated by the world than to be loved by the world and hated by God.

Prayer

LORD, in the midst of trials I will praise you because I know you are at work in my life and promise me a home in heaven one day. Thank you for never leaving and never forsaking me. Give me peace and comfort in knowing that your love is all I need in this life. I know that I am seen as perfect in your eyes through the blood of Jesus, help me not to be conformed to the ways of this world, but help me live a courageous life for you and your kingdom. I love you Jesus, amen.