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"Lord God, thank You for loving me and giving me grace when I fall short. Thank You for what You did on the cross and for dying for my sins. Lord, despite my current situation and circumstance, I give You control of what’s happening in my life and ask You to give me peace and relief. Lord, I know nothing I’m experiencing is a surprise to You. I can find comfort in this stressful situation because You loved me enough to send Your Son, Jesus, to die for me. I ask that You use this situation to help me find peace, grow my faith, and develop a dependence on You and that through this experience, my faith will be bigger and stronger. In Jesus’ name, amen!"
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Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.
-Psalm 42:11
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I love this!
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Kind of a long read, but something we covered during our sermon on Sunday that really resonated. 
Hope you all are doing well.
“But the cost of nondiscipleship is far greater—even when this life alone is considered—than the price paid to walk with Jesus, constantly learning from him…Nondiscipleship costs abiding peace, a life penetrated throughout by love, faith that sees everything in the light of God overiding governance for good, hopefulness that stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances, power to do what is right and withstand the forces of evil. In short, non-discipleship cost you exactly that abundance of life Jesus said he came to bring (John 10:10). The cross-shaped yoke of Christ is after all instrument of liberation and power to those who live in it with him and learn to meekness and lowliness of heart that brings rest to the soul.” ~ Dallas Willard- The Great Ommission
The heart of this message is a comparison:
*Following Jesus (discipleship) may seem costly, but not following Him (non-discipleship) costs far more — even in this life.
People often fear that following Jesus means giving things up or living under restrictions. But this quote reminds us that not following Him quietly robs us of what matters most:
- Abiding peace — a deep, steady inner calm
- A life filled with love — not just romantic or shallow love, but divine, unconditional love that fills and flows through us
- Faith that reframes everything in light of God’s control and goodness
- Hope that endures even in the darkest, hardest seasons
- Power to resist evil and do what’s right
Non-discipleship steals these things away.
It leaves people restless, hopeless, anxious, powerless — even if their external lives look successful or fine.
Jesus promised “life more abundantly” (John 10:10). That abundance isn’t material wealth, but a soul-deep, meaningful, free, hopeful, joyful life. And strangely, it comes by taking on what seems like a burden — the “cross-shaped yoke” of Jesus, meaning a life surrendered, humble, and obedient to Him. But this yoke is actually freedom because it connects us to His power, love, and peace.
In summary:
It costs something to follow Jesus — but it costs far more not to. Discipleship brings life, peace, and power, while non-discipleship robs you of them.
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