The Cross, Contentment and Complacency

Complacency can be described as being pleased without the awareness of some potential danger or defect. Complacency should be an area that we can all agree is one that we fall into more often than we ought.

When we are on the mountain top our confidence in God is without doubt. The experiences in this season are fruitful and our shouts of joy can be heard. This joy is our strength in the Lord.

What happens when the summer season comes with all its heat and drought? Somehow things are not the same. Where is joy? What happened to our songs?

Take a moment and describe your experience.

What do you do to overcome?

In this chapter we see that murmuring and complaining is an inward refusal of some providential circumstance or place. Hence, we can refuse the Cross.

God in His infinite wisdom is working His perfect plan and we challenge Him without understanding that He is working for our good.

Let read this excerpt from the book, of the story by Madame Guyon. How rich these penned words are.

“I have been meditating about these three (3) things:
“bearing your cross” 
"the “thorn in the flesh,” and 
“suffering shame for His name” 

Three (3) important aspects of the Christian life that are very often confused with one another, I believe.

My example would be; I don’t count my illness as a thorn in my flesh, for if it were a thorn, it would have to be grievous, would it not? But it hasn’t been, rather it has been blessed.

It is not “bearing my cross,” because “taking up the cross” is what Christians are free to choose to do.

It is not suffering for His name because that would mean I would be persecuted for Christ’s sake.

Let us rememember that "The cross" is not a thorn. “A thorn God gives, and it is not escapable.

From the above (3) aspects of your life, which one can you relate to? Write your thoughts 

Let Us Look at the Cross

The Cross is indeed for the Spirit-filled life of discipleship. It must be something we love and rejoice to carry. Do you?

We must learn to embrace it, so the Cross becomes sweet to us, making all bitter waters  through which we pass also sweet. 

Closely look at the words used by Ms. Guyon to describe the Cross.

Discipleship - It is for our growth in the knowledge and grace of God.

Love - It must be love that will grace us with the power to enjoy dying to the Cross.

Rejoice - The key is to rejoice in working out our salvation as we continue to die to the old and grow in the newness of God.

Embrace - If we can embrace the work on the Cross done for us by Jesus, we can whole heartily embrace the work that we must now do at the Cross.

Sweet - Allow our dying to self, to be our sweet sacrifice to God for all that He has given to us through Jesus Christ.

Can you write out your description for:
Discipleship
Love
Rejoice
Embrace
Sweet

Psalm 18:15-16 

Then the channels of the sea were seen,
The foundations of the world were uncovered
At Your rebuke, O Lord,
At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.

Mark 8:34 

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

What are your thoughts on “picking up your Cross”?