Discovering the Price and Reward of Real Change in Recovery
What do words like dedication and devotion and motivation mean to you personally? What drives you, what makes you want to keep on keeping on? I have learned through trial and error that only what you do for Jesus Christ is going to last. We are often consumed by what we think we need to do to survive verses what God is telling us to do from his word. In the book of Luke chapter 14 Verses 25-35 Jesus is teaching on discipleship and what following Jesus Christ will cost you.
I will admit I first came to Jesus because my life was a wreck and I was sick of the world and tired of being hurt and lied to. It has been over ten years since I have totally sold out to Jesus Christ, and I understand that it cost to be like Jesus or even follow him in the world. Verse 26 states that if any man come to Jesus and hate not his father, and mother and wife and children and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Wow, that is some strong stuff and that is just the first verse, that verse right there just eliminated a whole lot of church going folk.
I know some men of God who seek their wife’s permission before they do what God has called them to do. Verse 27 says whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. What does it mean to bear your cross? The bottom line is this, if you are not willing to forsake all your ways and thoughts and ideas about what you think is right for the cause of Jesus Christ you cannot be his disciple.
We see ourselves one way and Jesus Christ sees us the way he intended for us to be when he created us. I can speak from experience that the life that Jesus has for you is better than the life that you have for yourself but you must be willing to lay down the old life to get the new and it does not matter how old you are if you want to change Jesus can change you. This will be a wakeup call for somebody who reads this and realize that they have not been giving Jesus their all and when you read this repent and change your thought pattern and allow God to direct your path from now on. It is never too late to get right with Jesus as long as you have breath in your body.
Recovery, in its truest sense, means counting the cost and making choices that may feel hard—but lead to freedom and healing. Let this message remind you that transformation is possible, and the price you pay for real change is always worth it. As you continue your journey, consider letting faith and commitment guide your steps. It’s never too late to answer the call and embrace the life you were meant to live.
Jesus is calling will you answer?