Be Still And Know

Luke 9:23-24 NLT  Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” I have spent many hours trying to hang on to my own life. Who doesn’t invest time reflecting on who they really are? The internet is awash with courses offering answers to the mysteries of our psychological make-up, and I serve as a spiritual coach and director, so I have bought into the people development business.   Jesus’ emphasis was to redirect our gaze from ourselves to our creator. This makes sense, since the one who crafted me is the one who truly knows me. Yet an insistent voice within me demands the right of self-expression, often at the expense and suppression of others expressing themselves. So what will I compromise to secure my desired ambitions? Jesus is uncompromising in his teaching. No one can carry a cross inconspicuously.