Give It Up

 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” 
 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”
 So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
 But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

 And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
 And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?”
 But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
 Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You.”
 So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Luke 18:18-30

In our bible study group we have been talking about the Holy Spirit. This week we talked about being afraid of really giving up our cushy comfy lives and following God's leadership to where ever He would send us. 

As teens we are free to move about and live how we want, nothing holds us back and besides our family, nothing ties us to one place. It is simpler to give it up and follow God. 

As we grow, marry, have children, and careers, it gets harder to give it up and follow. 

In the above passage, we are given insight into how hard it really is. The more we have the harder it is to give up. The more blessed we are on this earth, the less we long for heaven. 

We have some family friends that are missionaries with their two children. Previously they were doing missions in India and have now felt called to a different part of the world. They go where God calls. It doesn't mean they do not fear or doubt, but they trust the Father enough to go and do what He asks. 

Hubby and I also have another friend who is currently living in a Creative Access Nation doing ministry. The country is closed to Christian ministry but they are there living and shining God's love to those people. 

I have been churning these questions around in my head and have been trying to sit and listen to the Lord for his answers.

"What parts of my life am I not giving over to Him?"
"What am I afraid of loosing?"
"What opportunities am I missing out on because I am not giving it ALL over to Him?"

When it was a lot easier to go wherever He called us.