We are followers of Jesus Christ. And, as followers, we need to pay attention to what Jesus tells us it means to follow him. Does Jesus say that by following him our lives will be pain free? Does he tells us that in order to follow him all we have to do is show up to church on Sunday? When Jesus calls people to follow him, he calls us to lose everything in order that we might gain the very best thing, namely himself.
“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” Mark 8:34-35