WE MIGHT AS well deal with the hardest spiritual question of them all, one that's entirely real and entirely practical. There's no quick answer--you must think this through before answering.

In Matthew 26:36-46, Jesus tells His band of followers how tough it will be to follow Him, and they all quickly respond that they will always be faithful. Jesus has to tell them: "You will all betray me before the night passes."

The intent to do what God wants is so appealing, but to carry it out in the face of opposition is very hard.

Every Sunday in worship, folks sing, "Wherever He Leads I'll Go." But Monday afternoon at work, when the opposition forms, the same folks grow still and quiet. We all know what this struggle is like.

We all want to be liked in the community, be accepted as we are, have friends, be included, have good things for our family, do what we want about our religion without outside interference--not march to another's drumbeat.

Look at Jesus. A normal, good man who basically wanted the same things that other men wanted. Above all, He wanted the Kingdom of God to be a reality on earth. But that would cost him his life. The human thing to do was shrink back. (That's how He understands us so well!)

Nothing seems so reasonable and enduring to us as our own will. Then we meet Jesus, and He asks us to give it up for Him. For Him, it meant sorrow, loneliness, anguish, agony and victory.

For us, what will it mean? What does it require? Trust and courage! Go to the cross even if you don't fully understand it.

Bottom line? It takes prayer and daily relinquishing of "your plans" over and over again until it sticks.

The reason many folks don't become Christians is because "what I want" is more important than "what Christ wants." Don't fear this. You will be submitting to a loving Savior, not a tyrant. There is really only one way to find out take a leap of faith.

PRAYER: "Father, give me courage and then more courage to take this leap of faith. Amen."

Charlie Chilton is a retired Baptist minister, missionary, author and Stafford County native who lives in Orange County. He may be emailed at
Email: cacfwc@gmail.com.