Count The Cost

"But don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?" Luke 14:28

When I begin to doubt, I consider the cost of being a follower of Jesus.

There are many things in this world that could make us happier, more likable, and less worried about the future if we were not a follower of Jesus. Consider the life of Jesus Christ himself.

He grew up in humble beginnings in Nazareth. He soon began his ministry at the age of thirty and beforehand he was being prepped for that time in his life when he would completely surrender to the full time ministry he had for three years before his violent death on the cross. Life was not easy. He was mocked, scorned, and accused throughout his years of ministry. People admired his teachings, but not without a group of people hating what he taught. He claimed himself to be the son of man (Mark 14:61). That would make him the equivalence of God. So why is it so important to always look to him when life gets tough? Well, think of it this way.

Jesus never said God had a wonderful plan for our lives, but it can still be inferred that God has something big in mind when it comes to difficulties and trials that make the description of a "bad day" into something meaningful, beautiful, and for his glory. Look at some of the following verses.

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

"To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory."~ Isaiah 61:3

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Jeremiah 29:11-14

"Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory." Psalm 73:23-24

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

We are to consider the cost of being a disciple for Jesus Christ. Many times we will be asked, usually an uneventful occurrence, to do something that takes us outside our comfort zone. Jesus fasted for 40 days. He was tempted with many sins during that time, too. Imagine the last time your blood sugar got so low, you could barely communicate to anyone let alone have a full functioning brain. And what about the men who tried to kill him right when he started his ministry. Or the time he had many followers leave him because they counted the cost of following him and found it to be too great. Every betrayal, pain, infliction, change of setting in his life, personal assault, and more did Christ bare and still not sin. If Jesus was fully human and divine, surely with the Holy Spirit at work within us as he was in Christ, we can make it through the challenges in life and still come out seeing beauty around us.

We are often challenged by the unconscious choice of whether or not our hearts want to follow Jesus. It's a solid "yes" or "no" we have to give. Some do not claim Christ as Savior for their sins because they see that the cost is too great. Even if their hearts were never there at the beginning to follow Christ, what it has come down to is if the person built their faith on a solid rock foundation or not. The truth always comes out.

In the end, whenever we are faced with a challenge, we need an answer for Christ.

Today, in this moment with whatever you are facing, will you say yes or no to him?