In my reading this morning I was continuing in Luke where my pastor was yesterday. I was reading in Luke where Jesus called the disciples and the line "they dropped their nets, left everything and followed him." This line struck me, even though I had read it over and over again for years.
It started me thinking, what does it mean to truly "leave everything and follow Him"? A lot of times we see it as laying down all worldly possessions or leaving the things that we knew and follow Jesus. It may be those things, but to me it's also internal, to drop all the pains, hurts, defense mechanisms and ways I've made life work to follow Him and what He has to say and do in my life. Having recently given up eating meat and changing a lot of my eating habits, I have found that some of these things are easier than others to give up and change. But it's the mindset of these changes that are more difficult. The internal talking and lies associated with all this is where the true struggle is. The same with leaving everything to follow Jesus.
Is this what I really want, is the question? I will take this daily to His feet and seek Jesus on the things that He wants to speak into. As with the eating choices, I can't look at this as denying or disciplining myself but looking ahead to a wonderful new adventure and the changes that come....
