To take up our cross is to suffer the consequences of faithful living, which may indeed be painful and challenging.
Sermons on Discipleship (Page 3)
How able are we to see across the two sides of the veil?
This event symbolizes how healing that is done in and through Christ moves us into service in the kingdom of God.
Mark seems to be telling us that this is how one follows Jesus: Without all the details; without much of a roadmap; just putting one foot in front of the other and seeing where Jesus takes us.
We need to also know that the movement of love that we recognize as Holy Spirit is happening all the time.
In humble obedience, we are to strive to look like God in what we do and say. To reflect Christ’s passionate heart. This is how we give to God the things that are God’s.
We live in the ‘not yet’ as we await the coming of God’s Kingdom.
Yoked to Jesus, our burden becomes light.
In treacherous times when powerful people or systems threaten us or others, we have to discern what God wants us to do, and we have to accept that doing it will cost us something.
He is saying to the Disciples ‘be the answer to your own prayer.’