Following Jesus

The sun is setting outside, fiery orange burning through the newly formed green leaves of spring, outlining the trees. Sitting at home, watching the evening unfold from my upstairs window, I’m transported, sitting on a bus that is driving down an extremely bumpy dirt road. Staring out the bus window, I’m watching the same sun burning fiery orange through the green trees of Rwanda, Africa.

Four years later and I still have a hard time believing it was all real. All I had to do was follow.  “Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people” Jesus said in Matthew 4:19.

What does following Jesus look like? It could look like a mission trip to Rwanda, but it could also look like leaving your fiancé who just told you he never was a Christian and never will be. It could look like a life set apart from your biological family, going to church on Sundays and sitting with your church family. It could be as simple as calling the friend that has been on your mind, or as daring as hugging a very agitated stranger in the Schnucks parking lot.

Sometimes following Jesus means you will have enemies; you will take up your cross and lose your worldly life. That last line sounds hard, even painful. So why follow Jesus?  So that you can be healed. So you can be made whole.

Life is hard, moment to moment, even harder still without Jesus. You are already doing the “hard”, yet nothing is working. You’re stressed, full of anxious thoughts, empty and sad at the same time. Scared of what may happen, even angry. Stop what you are doing. Pray. Ask Jesus to help you and follow what comes next.

If you are reading this and you have more questions or would like someone to pray with, email connect@bridgetograce.org today. 

-Nikki Fiedler