“Then he said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.’” (Luke 9:23)

Earlier in the month, we took a look at what Jesus said was required if someone wants to be His follower. One of the requirements is that we need to take up our cross daily. The cross was a symbol of death, so one understanding is that Jesus was saying that His followers need to die to self, to their own way of doing things, daily. Jesus knows what it means to die to His own way and He knows what it means to take up a cross.

“He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, ‘My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.’” (Matthew 26:39)

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8) 

Jesus gave up paradise and all of His divine privileges to come to earth and die a criminal’s death. He wanted God’s will more than He wanted His own. Jesus did what He asked His followers to do and died to Himself to take up His cross. Jesus knows what it is to deny yourself, more so than any of us ever will because He gave up more than we ever could or would be asked to. But when Jesus had to carry His cross, He couldn’t do it alone. 

“Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.” (Matthew 27:32)

Jesus knows the weight of the cross. He knows that sometimes, the cross is too heavy to carry alone. He knows that sometimes we need help from someone else to carry the cross. We were made for community and we may find at times when we need help bearing our daily cross, that Jesus sends a friend our way at just the right moment. When temptations are strong and it feels like following God’s way over our own is too heavy or difficult, remember that Jesus understands the weight of the cross. Just as Simon bore the weight of Jesus’ cross, our friends in the faith can help us when we are feeling pulled away from God’s path. Reach out to a close friend in the faith when temptations are hard and they can help you carry your cross.

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

“No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.” (John 14:18)

This Good Friday, remember that Jesus gave up His way and took up His cross. He does not ask us to carry it alone. Remember that we are made for community, we are made to go through this life among the body of believers and we always have the Holy Spirit with us. Take comfort in the fact that Jesus understands the weight of the cross. 

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed