From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? (Matthew 16:21-26, NRSV)
We want things the way we want them. Because we know that the way we have worked out the events of the world in our own heads is the best way for them to happen!
Have you ever had an event go the way you imagined it?
Usually things don’t work out the way we imagine them. Sometimes they are way more cooler and wonderful than we could have possibly imagined them!
But here we have Jesus, predicting His death, Peter not seeing it the way it has to be, and Jesus warning all of us.
Don’t focus on yourself or your plans for this world.
Did you create it?
Did you set the planets in motion?
Can you actually make things happen the way you imagined them?
No we can’t and we will not only lose our mind by trying to make it happen, we will lose our soul. We can’t gain the world, but if we turn from His plan, we could lose the life He has for us.
So follow after Him, even when His plan doesn’t fit your imagination, because His plan will be better than your could ever imagine!
aSacredRebel 