by Brandy Webb

What is it worth to gain the whole world but to lose your soul? I am coming to the conclusion that it is vital to ask God what His will for our lives is, even if that means we have to let go of our own goals and dreams when they do not line up to what He desires for us to do. This is not an easy thing to do, and I have yet to fully accomplish doing this. Yet, I realize that it would be so freeing to wake up every morning and say, “God what do you want me to do today? Show me what priorities/tasks that I need to accomplish today.”

Christ warned Peter and us through His words what we have to do in order to follow Him: 

24 Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26)

He spoke these words because He was letting His disciples know that He was going to suffer “at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (Matthew 16:21). Peter did not like this idea, and he had the audacity to rebuke Jesus (Matthew 16:22). Jesus replied, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me. For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men” (Matthew 16:23).

Now, in my opinion, Peter’s reaction was normal. Who would want to hear that their friend and teacher was going to have to suffer and be killed? It was a normal human reaction; however, it was not in line with God’s will. This little exchange has made me to start thinking about what plans, goals, wishes, hopes, etc. I may have that on the surface—and to any other human being—look like great ideas, but to God is not in line with His will. Could be that the reasons I have not met some of my goals is because they are not the goals that God wants me to work towards? Am I actually living a life that follows His will? 

Christ makes it very clear that it is not easy to follow Him (Matthew 8: 18-22; 10:37-39). However, the reward is eternal if we do. In fact, to the world we will look foolish (1 Corinthians 3:19). Christ tells us to be servants instead of trying to be superior to others (Mark 10:42-45). He tells us to be giving, and to rely on God to provide (Luke 6:38). He tells us to love our enemies, bless the ones who curse us, and pray for those who mistreat us (Luke 6:27-29).

He lived His words. He served others, even the one who was going to betray Him (John 13:12). He did not revile back to those who persecuted Him (1 Peter 2:23). He refused the whole world and died for us, so that we could have redemption and eternal life. In return, all He asks for us to do is let go of what we want to do or have in this life, and in turn, follow Him, and do the things He desires for us to do. It sounds easy when in writing, but it is harder in practice because it goes against our carnal selves. It requires us to be ready for internal battle. Our Savior and our Father know that we can’t fight this fight alone. They understand that the soul is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41), which is why we have God’s Spirit as a helper/comforter and spiritual armor and the Word as our sword and guide. We all have a choice. We can choose to follow our own desires, or we can follow God’s desires. One may give us temporary pleasures of the world, but the other will give us eternal life and blessings that will make all the trials in this life so small in comparison (Romans 8:18).