Take Up Your Cross

“for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure”

Philippians 2:12

Some years back, I awoke and asked myself, “why do I feel troubled each time I accidentally hurt or crush someone’s spirit”. It is so bad that I lose my peace until I apologize to whomever I wronged knowingly or unknowingly. The worst of it is that I find it easy to apologize to those who intentionally wrong me. I have been seen as a weakling for not wanting to fight back when people step on my toes. This is because the word retaliation is never found in my dictionary. I have been called a fool several times for wanting to go above and beyond to be at peace with everyone. However, I realize that this kind of “foolishness” gives me peace of mind. The Holy Spirit said to me that this is a cross that must be carried to remain a beloved child of God. “But why, this is a heavy cross,” I exclaimed. If it is a cross that believers must carry, why am I being tagged a fool? I asked. 

The most annoying and frustrating aspect of it is that fellow believers intentionally take me for granted because of this attitude. They take pleasure in hurting me without any form of remorse. Honestly, I feel hurt seeing those who call on the name of the Lord do this to me, but forgiveness runs in my blood, so I forgive anyways before anyone could think of apologizing to me. However, I got to a point in my life, and I said, this must stop! Enough is enough; I can’t take it any longer, it is understandable for unbelievers to crush my spirit intentionally, but it isn’t very kind for a fellow believer to do so unapologetically. I said, because I want to be at peace with people doesn’t give anyone the right to hurl insults at me. I later discovered that the Psalmist went through a similar ordeal. He lamented and cried to God.

“Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see violence and strife in the city. Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it. Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets. If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were rising against me, I could hide. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God, as we walked about among the worshipers.”

2 Psalm 55:9-14

Through it all, the great comforter ministered to my soul by comforting me. He opened my understanding and revealed the reason for feeling troubled whenever I wrong anyone knowingly or unknowingly. I realized the Spirit of God makes me feel troubled and prompts me to go above and beyond to be at peace with people because every child of God whose conscience is alive should never be at ease until they right their wrongs. This reminds me of what the scripture says, “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Phil 2:13). Being at peace is God’s will even though you may be tagged a fool. If you are afraid of being tagged a fool for serving God, you may find walking with God uninteresting, for God may choose to make you look like a fool in the sight of men just to make a fool of your scorners.

Beloved, do you feel frustrated when being taken for granted to be at peace with people? Have you been tagged a fool for doing the will of God? My beloved brothers and sisters, don’t run out of patience, you are not alone…….. For this reason, the Apostle says, “As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter” (Romans 8:36). The world will not stop taking you for granted, yet, you must strive to be at peace. This is a cross you must carry for being a child of God. Remember, Jesus says,

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:9-10). 

Philippians 2:12

Later, the Lord made me realize that the reason I feel the pain of being taken for granted is that I’ve failed to die daily to the flesh. A dead person cannot feel any pain. “Wow”, I cried. Dying to the flesh is a great prerequisite for walking with God. I understand this is the kind of message believers of today don’t want to hear, but when you think of it, the failure to hold on to this principle of dying daily to the flesh is the bedrock of troubles in Christian homes and the world at large. We need to cry to God for the grace to die to the flesh daily. Beloved, I understand it is difficult, but God is faithful to make all grace abound to us.

However, the Holy Spirit makes me realize that we need wisdom in the journey of life. It is wise to prayerfully end toxic relationships so that our walk with God will not be affected. Toxic relationships can bring the worst out of us and make us miss out on the blessings of God. If you depend on the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, you will be at peace with people, and at the same time, you will be protected from toxic and destructive relationships. 

If you are reading this article and you take pleasure in hurting the feelings of the meek and lowly of heart, I will encourage you to repent. The meek and lowly in heart are apples in the eyes of God, and it’s a dangerous thing to fight them. Each time you take them for granted and hurt their feelings, you are inviting the wrath of God upon yourself because God will fight tooth and nail for those who please him so that they can hold their peace.