Many will follow Him to the breaking of the bread, but few will drink the bitter cup of His Passion. Many revere His miracles, but few follow the shame of His cross. Many love Jesus when all goes well with them, and praise Him when He does them a favor; but if Jesus conceals Himself and leaves them for a little while, they fall to complaining or become depressed. (Thomas A Kempis, The Imitation Of Christ)
It’s always easier to follow Christ when all is going well. When problems arise in our life, we often find ourselves questioning the Lord and even getting angry. How could He let my husband/wife get sick? How could He let me lose my job? How could He let my mother die?
As we begin the new year, let’s take a good look at our motives for following Christ. Are we looking to “feel good” or are we following Him out of love? If we are followers of Christ because we love Him, then it shouldn’t matter how we feel. We should thank Him for our crosses as well as our consolations. For by loving Our Lord and His cross, we will one day achieve our eternal reward!
