“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23
Have you noticed how easy it is to surrender something you don’t mind losing?
When Daniel first started his job, he prayed, “Jesus, everything I have is Yours.” It wasn’t a difficult prayer. He didn’t have much. Giving 10% from his first paycheck felt like a joy. But a few years later, things looked different. His income had grown and so had his dreams. He was saving for a house, dreaming of a long-awaited vacation and making plans for the future. The same prayer suddenly felt much more costly. Daniel realized surrender wasn’t only about money. It was about trust.
Maybe you’ve had moments like that. Following Jesus can feel straightforward until it requires releasing something we’d rather keep. Jesus never hid that reality. He said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
That little word daily matters. Surrender isn’t a decision we make once and never revisit. It’s something we learn over a lifetime. Some days we trust Jesus with our future. Other days it’s our finances, our comfort, our reputation.
Why does Jesus ask us to surrender? Not because He enjoys taking things from us, but because He loves us too much to let anything else become our master. Jesus isn’t trying to make our lives smaller. He’s freeing us to belong fully to the One who loves us without limit.
So, what feels hardest to place in His hands today? Tell Jesus honestly. Then trust Him with that one thing. Tomorrow may bring something else to place in His hands. He’ll be just as faithful then as He is today.
