“You must give up your 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.” -Luke 9:23-24 (NLT)
To be used, we must first be available. To be filled, we must first be emptied. To save our life, we must lose it. Remember our precious savior, Jesus, who willingly lost His life to gain us. He had everything. Royal omnipotence. Mighty Kingship over the entire universe. Full of brilliance and majesty. Highly exalted. All of Heaven adored Him and worshiped Him. Tremendous power was within His grasp. Every divine privilege was at His fingertips. But when destiny came knocking at His door, and the grandest plan ever devised was presented before Him, Jesus surrendered Himself to the Father’s master plan. He left His magnificent home to die a humiliating death. Such a vulnerable position and a humbling process. Yet, He fully obeyed His Father throughout His time on earth (Philippians 2:7-8).
As you can see, humility is the way of God. Although not a popular way, it’s His way. When we humble ourselves, we recognize that God’s plan for us is most important—a holy submission fueled with love. It’s a mindset and attitude filled with servitude and giving (Philippians 2:5). We no longer seek our way; we seek His. And seeking means we’re asking to know Him more. Years ago, destiny knocked at my door while I was still living in sin with a man for about five years. After receiving Jesus, conviction began to grab hold of my heart, and the squeezing became unbearable. There I stood at the crossroads, pressed to make a decision. Would I choose a long-term relationship with a man, or would I choose God? I must admit that choosing God’s way was hard and extremely painful. But I decided to lay down my resistance, and the adjustments of my new life slowly stripped me of selfishness as I exchanged them for obedience. The cost was great, but my destiny was greater.
So, whenever He calls, no matter the cost, God wants to use us if we’re willing. Every act of obedience, whether small or great, is significant. When He asks us to surrender something, it’s an invitation to something greater. Now is the time. He wants to prepare our hearts for so much more. Heaven is summoning us to carry the weight of God’s love and glory. In fact, it’s impossible to stay stuck where we are and walk with Him at the same time. It’s time to serve God’s purposes and plans, not ours. His way is all the way, not just some or part.
Stephanie Jones