“Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. ‘Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self.’” ( Matthew 16:24 MSG)
When I read verses like the one above, I cringe. If I’m being completely honest--I want to be in the driver’s seat. I routinely try to run from suffering. I prefer self-help over self-sacrifice. I always pick comfort over pain. I would rather not face uncertainty. If suffering is the only pathway to growth, I would rather remain stagnant.
And so does most everyone else.
We are all like pigs wallowing in dirt. We are content to stay in the muck and call it a mud bath. Some of us may move to a slightly cleaner puddle once in a while. How can we reveal our true selves when we are covered in mud? How can we see where we are going? How can we not slip and fall?
Follow Jesus and He will show us how.
He will escort the blind down unfamiliar paths. He will guide us through new territory, smoothing out rough patches. He will illuminate dark passageways. He will not abandon us.
“I will escort the blind down roads they do not know, guide them down paths they’ve never seen. I will smooth their passage and light their way. I will indeed do it—they are abandoned no more.” (Isaiah 42:16 VOICE)
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