It always baffles me how this scripture has been miss used over the years. Too many take this statement about the cross as we have this huge heavy burden that we have to carry around as we we kill ourselves and beat ourselves into submission. The truth is the disciples and the folks around Jesus when He made this statement didn't really understand what was about to happen that Jesus was about to literally take up a physical cross and make what seems to be the ultimate selfless sacrifice. He laid down His life so that we could enter back into unhindered relationship with the Father. They didn't understand that taking up the cross ultimately results in freedom. You see when we take up our cross when we deny our old selves and press into Jesus, when we make the decision to walk out the call Abba has placed on our lives to fully pursue Him and to share His heart with others, to prophesy life into their spirits, then we become who we were made to be. When that happens when we discover our true identity that has been crafted by Abba Himself and we walk in that identity then we become truly free and the cross no longer is looked at as a burden or something we are bound to but a key to freedom.
Mark 8:34-37 "And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me]. For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the lower, natural, temporal life which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it [his higher, spiritual life in the eternal kingdom of God]. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life [in the eternal kingdom of God]? For what can a man give as an exchange (a compensation, a ransom, in return) for his [blessed] life [in the eternal kingdom of God]?"
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