Doing Things That MatterSample

"LIVE DIFFERENTLY – PART ONE"

Becoming different in a world of vast similarity requires breaking free of the things that hold you down and keep you grounded in the sea of sameness. Think about your life, and I’m certain you can identify things you haven’t surrendered but need to. You must possess the courage to let go of the things that anchor you to the safe and familiar. It’s time to let go of things that limit your faith. Go ahead and consider areas in your life that need change. Areas that you need to let go of by moving on, getting rid of, forgiving, or forgetting.

What is that thing, relationship, time consumer, or bitterness that you need to let go of? Perhaps you have a desire to have a certain reputation. Maybe you work too much or spend way too much time on your phone. Maybe things like materialism, greed, jealously, or anger seem to get in the way of the cross.

What do you need to let go of in order to pick up the cross?

After all, we are called to carry our cross every day.

And to carry the cross sometimes we have put something else down.

Many times we think we are living for Jesus, but all we are doing is carrying around the same things in this life that everyone else is carrying. So even though we love Jesus, we may not be that different, much less a person who is living the gospel or doing things that matter. Too many people who claim to love Jesus are just dipping their toe into the pool and claiming that they are swimming. Living differently is a cannonball into a pool of endless possibilities that a life with Christ has to offer.

The goal isn’t to be different, however following Jesus results in a life that is different. Maybe that’s why Peter said we would be like strangers in this world or why Paul said we should shine like the stars. People may not always understand some of the things faithful followers do or believe, but the hope is that the ways we are different will make a huge difference in this world. 

What do you need to let go of, so you can pick up the cross?