The Cross Is Not A Burden
Matthew 16:24 (ESV)
“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’”
Somewhere along the way, we started thinking of the cross as something heavy to carry—a weight, a burden, a symbol of everything we have to give up to follow Jesus. But Jesus never asked us to carry the cross to crush us. He asked us to carry it so we could be anchored. What the world sees as a burden, Heaven sees as a foundation. What looks like sacrifice is actually strength. And if you’re struggling today to stand tall in a shaking world, it might just be because you’re not leaning on the very thing meant to hold you up.
In architecture, the crossbeam is one of the strongest structural supports in any building. It’s especially important in places prone to earthquakes and high winds because it keeps everything from collapsing. That’s not just a design feature—it’s a spiritual reality. The cross is what holds us together when life starts falling apart. It doesn’t weaken you. It strengthens you. When your identity starts shaking, when insecurity starts rising, when shame starts shouting—the cross speaks louder. It reminds you that your value was settled the moment Jesus gave His life for you.
And yet, so many believers are trying to hide it. We’re scared of what people will think. We downplay our faith. We try to fit in, be accepted, blend in with the crowd. But the very thing we’re trying to tuck away is the thing that’s meant to hold us up. You can’t stand strong without the cross. You can’t walk in freedom if you’re ashamed of the very place your chains were broken. Saul wanted the crown, but not the cross. He wanted the title, but not the surrender. And it left him fragile, insecure, and unstable.
Today, don’t be ashamed of the cross. Embrace it. Carry it. Lean on it. Because the cross isn’t what’s holding you back—it’s what’s holding you together.
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for the cross. Forgive me for the times I’ve tried to hide it, minimize it, or live as if I didn’t need it. I don’t want to walk in my own strength. I want to be anchored in Yours. Let the cross be my reminder of who I am, whose I am, and what You’ve already overcome for me. Give me boldness to carry it, not with shame, but with confidence. My strength is found in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’”
Somewhere along the way, we started thinking of the cross as something heavy to carry—a weight, a burden, a symbol of everything we have to give up to follow Jesus. But Jesus never asked us to carry the cross to crush us. He asked us to carry it so we could be anchored. What the world sees as a burden, Heaven sees as a foundation. What looks like sacrifice is actually strength. And if you’re struggling today to stand tall in a shaking world, it might just be because you’re not leaning on the very thing meant to hold you up.
In architecture, the crossbeam is one of the strongest structural supports in any building. It’s especially important in places prone to earthquakes and high winds because it keeps everything from collapsing. That’s not just a design feature—it’s a spiritual reality. The cross is what holds us together when life starts falling apart. It doesn’t weaken you. It strengthens you. When your identity starts shaking, when insecurity starts rising, when shame starts shouting—the cross speaks louder. It reminds you that your value was settled the moment Jesus gave His life for you.
And yet, so many believers are trying to hide it. We’re scared of what people will think. We downplay our faith. We try to fit in, be accepted, blend in with the crowd. But the very thing we’re trying to tuck away is the thing that’s meant to hold us up. You can’t stand strong without the cross. You can’t walk in freedom if you’re ashamed of the very place your chains were broken. Saul wanted the crown, but not the cross. He wanted the title, but not the surrender. And it left him fragile, insecure, and unstable.
Today, don’t be ashamed of the cross. Embrace it. Carry it. Lean on it. Because the cross isn’t what’s holding you back—it’s what’s holding you together.
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for the cross. Forgive me for the times I’ve tried to hide it, minimize it, or live as if I didn’t need it. I don’t want to walk in my own strength. I want to be anchored in Yours. Let the cross be my reminder of who I am, whose I am, and what You’ve already overcome for me. Give me boldness to carry it, not with shame, but with confidence. My strength is found in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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