If anyone wishes to come to Jesus Christ, they must renounce themselves. And what does it mean to follow Him?

It means:

Do not follow Jesus simply because you haven't found anything better to do with your life yet and you are following Him while you wait. Such a person has not yet renounced themselves.

Do not follow Jesus solely for worldly possessions, because you have tried everything else without success. Such a person is not yet following Jesus and has not renounced themselves.

Do not follow Jesus merely out of family tradition, because you grew up in a Christian church. Such a person has not yet renounced themselves, for one day they may slip away if the devil makes them a "good" offer—which is, unfortunately, evil.

And what does it mean to take up one's cross?

It is to understand that in the Christian life, there are also problems and battles that God may allow, and His child must not let go.

It is to serve God with a love free of hypocrisy or self-interest, for we are children of the Kingdom. A child in a house does not need to be paid to clean the living room or the kitchen: it is normal. Their needs are already a priority for the parents, even if their devotion earns them more respect and consideration.

To carry one's cross and follow Jesus is also to believe that Jesus Christ is capable of anything. Many children of God believe only in part: they think some things are possible for Jesus, and others are not. This is a great challenge of the Christian faith.

To carry one's cross is to accept that Jesus Christ is capable of doing things that are impossible for human intelligence to understand or explain.

Oh! How vast is this mystery of the Word of God…

Happy meditation. To you who are reading this Word of God today: decide to carry your cross and follow Jesus Christ. In Him, we have life in abundance. Christ is reaching out His hand to you and calling you; He wants you to accept Him as your Lord and Savior. He will forgive all your sins because He loves you.

Hallelujah. Be blessed in the name of Jesus Christ.

Please always share our meditations to edify other children of God.