Clearing the View So Christ Can Be Seen
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” - Matthew 16:24–25
Sometimes the hardest part of following Jesus is recognizing what needs to move out of the way. Not everything that looks religious actually helps people see Christ clearly. When the wrong version of the cross takes center stage, it can confuse rather than heal.
Jesus never asked His followers to protect their comfort or image. He asked them to follow Him. That meant letting go of control, status, and self-preservation. It meant trusting that life is found not by holding tightly, but by surrendering.
In daily life, clearing the view might mean examining attitudes we have carried for a long time. It might mean noticing where faith has become more about being right than being loving. It might mean releasing assumptions that keep us distant from people who are hurting.
The cross Jesus carried still saves, heals, and restores. It still welcomes the broken and lifts the weary. But that cross can only be seen clearly when it is not buried under pride, fear, or power.
So ask God to help you clear the view. Ask Him to remove anything in your heart or life that misrepresents His love. When the right cross is lifted, people do not just see religion. They see Jesus.
And that is the cross worth following.
Sometimes the hardest part of following Jesus is recognizing what needs to move out of the way. Not everything that looks religious actually helps people see Christ clearly. When the wrong version of the cross takes center stage, it can confuse rather than heal.
Jesus never asked His followers to protect their comfort or image. He asked them to follow Him. That meant letting go of control, status, and self-preservation. It meant trusting that life is found not by holding tightly, but by surrendering.
In daily life, clearing the view might mean examining attitudes we have carried for a long time. It might mean noticing where faith has become more about being right than being loving. It might mean releasing assumptions that keep us distant from people who are hurting.
The cross Jesus carried still saves, heals, and restores. It still welcomes the broken and lifts the weary. But that cross can only be seen clearly when it is not buried under pride, fear, or power.
So ask God to help you clear the view. Ask Him to remove anything in your heart or life that misrepresents His love. When the right cross is lifted, people do not just see religion. They see Jesus.
And that is the cross worth following.
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