Skip to main content

The Cost for Following the Lord

I have been reading Rick Joyner's "The Path" for a few days now. 
It is a book I would recommend for anyone, honestly. 

There is this part of the book that speaks about "God Trails" and how the Lord leads us to answers to the questions we ask Him. 
Don't forget, Holy Spirit, Who Is God, Is our Teacher and He delights in teaching us His Word and about life in general. 

The concept of God trails is that God leads us on paths towards His answers for us. They do not really focus on the answers as much as they do on the paths/journey/processes leading to those answers. 

I believe I just had one of those moments and looking at the time (1:27am) I just thought to share this with you before I don't. 

Here it goes...

There have been many times where I have heard Men and Women of God talk about the "cost of following the Lord". Some call it the sacrifice, others call it the price. 
As a young woman, with the personal desires that I have, I have often pondered, wondered and asked myself what this "sacrifice" really is. 

I honestly thought that there is this "one-size-fits-all" sacrifice that all who really want to follow the Lord must pay. 
Let me share with you that I have had conversations with and perceive that there are quite a number of women who believe that the price for following God and being greatly used by Him (in all His power) is not marrying or ever experiencing God's pure and precious love between a man and a woman. 

Today, whiles reading this book, I came across something the writer shared which I finally believe to be the answer to this all-important question of mine: "What is the price for following the Voice of God?"

I have learnt that the price really isn't cast-in-stone. 
The fundamental nature of the price is that it goes against our self-interests and places value and prominence on the interests of the King. 
What this means is that the price is context-specific and many vary from situation to circumstance. 
Jesus tells us to daily pick up our crosses and follow Him and this means that daily, as surely as His mercies are new every morning, the daily sacrifices we will make in pursuit of Him will also vary. 

So what am I saying? 

I am saying that you do not need to replicate the sacrifice of a great man/woman of God, you admire, in your pursuit of God. 
As we seek Him daily and walk with Him, endeavouring to hear His Voice and know Him more, we will come across moments where we would have to lay aside our personal interests for His. It can be anything, honestly and it depends on the season and His timing. 

What I am sensing is that posture is really important here:

The price you are paying is really a price that makes you feel better for paying it in the long run and not necessarily in the moment it is being paid. I know how we shy away from using expressions that have to do with feelings because they easy are misinterpreted as being fleshy. But the point is, you feel better because of the knowing that the sacrifice you have made is a good thing. It is the feeling of joy and relief knowing that in that moment, you triumphed over your personal desires, wishes and interests and chose Him. It is the joy that comes from knowing that you placed Him first and you overcame your flesh. It is one of the best feelings in the world, especially when you know that you had help from Holy Spirit. It is simply beautiful...surreal. 
Note that the price is not a price that makes you bitter and bitter as the days or years go by, even long after it has been paid. Check it. 

Do you know why?
Because when you really look at it, you will see that the price you paid was for your own good, in the sense that it has formed in you character. Why do you think Jesus said that His burden is light and His yoke easy? It is because that yoke/burden is this way for a short while because when you see character being formed in you, you see that that yoke/burden which you carried was very easy. 
The price we pay for following the Lord is a price we pay for us...really. Because, the truth is, no price we can ever pay will change Who God Is. Rather, every price we pay changes us and makes us better. 

Btw, go read that book!

I love you. 
He has always loved you. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Go With God

When I started Sharing Life, my intention was to put out what I knew Holy Spirit was teaching me. This was what He asked me to do. It wasn't to parade myself as an all-figured-out girl who was on her way to becoming a preacher.  It was a journey of life I was learning and one which I had received the go-ahead to let the world in on.  Somewhere on this road, I was seen as a "Woman of God" and put on this high and mighty pedestal which wasn't me.  And you know what, in such moments, it is so easy to get carried away by the accolades of men to the point where you lose sight of your journey, where you are and decide to serve the expectations of others... thereby neglecting your own journey and growth.  After taking a very long break from active writing, I have on numerous occasions attempted to start writing again but the fear of being put on that pedestal has stopped me so many times.  I am a child of God. I am a girl on a journey. I don't have it all f...

An Invitation to Intimacy

  I gave my life to Jesus in St. Louis Senior High School.  I am very sure I had gone forward for altar calls many times before that. But St. Louis was different. I was conscious; I was aware of myself and my environment. I knew I needed God in my life. To be honest, the issues of life drove me to take God seriously. A friend had had a dream about her and me and the moment she shared it, I knew I had to let go of the old garment and take on the new. So, I joined the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) meetings and that was where my life changed.  That encounter led me to a great relationship with the Lord. I read the Scriptures (my favourite was the Book of Psalms because I used that to pray a lot). It was in St. Louis I learnt I was never alone (why do you think I support Liverpool FC so much?). I learnt to rely on Him alone.  When I entered the University, I realized a newfound freedom and observed (by the Grace of God) that if I didn’t take my spirituality seriousl...

My journey with Holy Spirit

This might probably be the longest I will ever publish. Here we go... Senior High School I started my relationship with Holy Spirit in St. Louis Senior High School. At that time, my father was going through a bit of a struggle and I didn't want to be a burden to him. I had made a terrible decision to combine my chopbox with a friend's and when my provisions finished, I couldn't call home. I was sad and I remembered that daddy had told me that if I ever wanted to change and be a better human, I should start by reading the "Book of Proverbs".  I came across Wisdom and I prayed for that Friendship and then someway somehow, I believed that I was never alone and that I had a Friend with me and that was when I starting fellowshiping with Holy Spirit.     Prior to this, I remember when I was in class 6, I heard Someone share His heart with me. He asked me, " Why is it that when people have problems, they tell their friends about it and then their fr...