"Christians need to understand that bearing the cross does not in the first place refer to the trials which we call crosses, but to the daily giving up of life, of dying to self, which must mark us as much as it did the Lord Jesus, which we need in time of prosperity almost more than adversity, and without which the fullness of the blessing of the cross cannot be disclosed to us." ~ Andrew Murray
"May we cease to confuse the words 'a cross' with 'the cross'. Sometimes believers in self-pity bemoan themselves, and say, 'I have taken, or must take up, my cross, and follow Jesus'. Would that we would lose sight of our 'cross' om His cross, then His cross becomes our cross; His death, our death; His grave, our grave; His resurrection, our resurrection; His risen life, our newness of life. No, taking up our Cross does not mean the stoical bearing of some heavy burden, hardship, illness, distasteful situation or relationship. Enduring anything of this nature is not bearing one's Cross. Taking up the Cross may or may not involve such things, but things do not constitute our Cross." ~ Green Letters (p54)
"May we cease to confuse the words 'a cross' with 'the cross'. Sometimes believers in self-pity bemoan themselves, and say, 'I have taken, or must take up, my cross, and follow Jesus'. Would that we would lose sight of our 'cross' om His cross, then His cross becomes our cross; His death, our death; His grave, our grave; His resurrection, our resurrection; His risen life, our newness of life. No, taking up our Cross does not mean the stoical bearing of some heavy burden, hardship, illness, distasteful situation or relationship. Enduring anything of this nature is not bearing one's Cross. Taking up the Cross may or may not involve such things, but things do not constitute our Cross." ~ Green Letters (p54)
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