The Cut of the Cross

“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'”

Luke 9:23

Long after my life-altering accident, when I began to draw closer to Christ, I was helped immensely by these brief words from Samuel Rutherford; he said, “You cannot sneak quietly into heaven without a cross. Crosses form us into the image of Jesus.” From this I learned two things: if we want to get prepared for heaven, if we want to be made like Jesus, it’ll mean daily bearing a cross.

Yes, trusting God through pain and suffering is hard, but only a cross can cut and carve and wound and finally perfect Christ’s image in you. When you pick up your cross every day and die to complaining and doubts and fears of the future; when you die to resentment, and instead, lean into the grace-filled resources of heaven, God transforms you. Hallelujah, one day you’ll see how your cross beautifully shaped your heavenly crown.