We live in an age where convenience is king. With a few taps on a phone, meals arrive at our door, entertainment streams instantly, and nearly anything we want can be delivered the next day. Comfort is no longer a luxury – it’s an expectation. Yet the life Jesus calls us into is not centred on comfort, but on commitment.
In Luke 9:23, Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” This was not an invitation to a life of ease. Carrying a cross meant sacrifice, surrender, and sometimes suffering. Following Christ is costly, not because He wants to make our lives miserable, but because true discipleship requires us to put Him above everything else.
Our culture often teaches the opposite. Advertisements promise fulfilment through self-indulgence. Social media promotes the idea that life should be curated for personal happiness. Even in the church, we can sometimes drift into thinking that faith should make life easier, not harder. But Jesus never promised a life free of challenges – He promised His presence in the midst of them.
When we read the New Testament, we see that early Christians paid a high price for their faith. Many faced persecution, imprisonment, and loss of livelihood. While most of us in the West will not face those extremes, we may still be called to give up comfort for the sake of obedience. That might mean standing alone when others compromise, forgiving when it would be easier to hold a grudge, or giving generously when we would rather keep our resources for ourselves.
The cost of discipleship also involves our priorities. Jesus told His followers, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33). This means God’s purposes take precedence over our career ambitions, leisure plans, and even family expectations. It is a radical reordering of life around His will.
Yet the paradox is that in losing our lives for Christ, we actually find them (Matthew 16:25). The joy, peace, and fulfilment we seek in comfort are found more deeply in obedience. Paul, writing from prison, could say, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11). His contentment was not rooted in ease, but in Christ.
Today, we face a choice. Will we follow Jesus only when it fits neatly into our plans, or will we follow Him wherever He leads, even when it costs us? True discipleship is not about adding Jesus to our comfortable lives – it’s about surrendering those lives to Him entirely.
In a world obsessed with self-preservation, the church can shine brightly by embracing sacrificial love, courageous obedience, and joyful endurance. The cost may be great, but the reward – knowing Christ and making Him known – is infinitely greater.