If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
The cross wasn't a metaphor for inconvenience in the world this was written in — it was an execution device. So when Jesus says to take up your cross daily, he's not talking about minor sacrifices or vague self-improvement. He's describing something that costs you the version of yourself that wants to stay in charge.
What stands out is the word "daily." This isn't a one-time decision you make and then coast on. It's a door you walk back through every morning, which means it's less about a dramatic moment and more about a pattern — deciding, again, that your own agenda doesn't get final say.
You don't have to know what "following" fully means to notice the honesty in this. It's not an easy sell. It's not pretending faith is comfortable. If anything, that bluntness might be a reason to trust it more than something that promised you'd lose nothing at all.
If a faith that admits the cost upfront sounds more trustworthy than one that promises only comfort, that honesty is worth a closer look.
A short video on this is coming soon — for now, read on.