THE CROSS - A BURDEN OR A BRIDGE?

This is a serious question. Yes the cross is a burden however it is a bridge if carefully carried to the destination God wants it to be carried to. And when carrying this cross, we should not seek for shortcuts. This is in a case of a man who was in a life's journey, with other ten people who reached their various points to pick their crosses. They all picked their crosses and continued to progress their journey. But these crosses were so heavy, but still they must be carried to tha certain destination. But this particular man saw his cross to be more heavier than others own. He had the thought that he had picked the heaviest cross, so he chose to seek for a shortcut means by cutting away a part of his cross, he did and his cross was lightier than before. 

This man never knew what was ahead of him. He was happy that his cross is now lightier more than others own. His movement was faster, he moved more faster and left others behind. He was happy but unfortunately for him, he came to a big ditch and how is he going to cross to continue his journey? He was confused not until two men came to meet him there at the ditch side, they laid their crosses across the ditch and walk on them like a bridge and got to the other side. He looked at his own cross but a part of it has been cut away and no more long enough to serve like a bridge.

A MAN TO HIS OWN CROSS.

He waited till other eight people came with their crosses and met him there helpless. They all use their crosses as bridges over the ditch and they all walked on them to the other side of good life. 

While crossing, this man was begging them each to let him walk on their crosses. They all declined. They told him, a man to his own cross.

This man had to go back to the beginning of the journey to pick another cross, while others were enjoying at the other side in life's journey. He finally picked another cross but he couldn't reach half of the journey, he died.

NOW BRINGING THIS STORY INTO REALITY.

In reality, what is the defination of cross? 

* It is any affliction that causes great suffering.

In any affliction we find ourselves, it is our cross and no one can bear it for us. And all we need is to call on God to give us a spirit to bear the cross.

TYPES OF CROSSES

Many people out there have diferent types of crosses. You will see some people, you will think they are enjoying but if you see into their lives, there is one or two particular thing(s) that never give(s) them joy.

For example, many rich women out there, they have money, but they have no children. That is a cross. Some dont even have money, but have children and cant train them.

Some are graduates, they had look for jobs but no jobs. Some children had their parents died in accidents and vice versa.

Some, no matter how they work, they can never account for anything. And many more. While some have carried their crosses, maybe for a long or short time and they have reached were life's treating them good without seeking for any short cut means.

CROSS AS BRIDGE 

Yes this cross or affliction can look like burden for so many years to some people while to some it is just for a while. And when faced with any affliction, all we need is to seek for God's face and His direction not shortcuts. To some, their affliction is just for a while but since they dont seek for God's face, it will look like the affliction will take them decades. And without the cross, no crown. The cross is the bridge we must walk on to receive crown. We shouldnt look at how heavy they are but to see them as a bridge connecting us to something good in life. Some people failed, failed and failed in school, they got mocked and yet graduated in flying colors while others dropped out of school cos they cant bear the cross of failure.

THE COUPLE WHO FOLLOWED SHORTCUT

Yeah, lets look at this couple. They had four kids and they have no money to train them due to the husband who lost his job. 

To eat was a problem, to send the kids to school was another issue, to bear this was so difficult.

To cut this story short, the wife was pregnant. What! How are we to do this? God why this time? The husband asking himself. No good food to eat, no good cloth to wear. But they kept managing.

After nine months, this woman was put to bed and she gave birth to twins. Oh! On hearing this news, the husband wanted to flee away. But he was caught in the hospital. Fortunately, a wealthy man came across and paid the hospital bills, and they were discharged.

On getting home, the husband and his wife were discussing on how to survive with the kids and the new born kids. So the wife brought a suggestion.

WHAT WAS THE SUGGESTION ?

It was suggested that they should sell the new born babies to have enough money to survive with other four kids. 

THEY TOOK A SHORT CUT 

The shortcut was selling out the new born babies. They sold them and acquired a huge amount of money.

BACK TO SQUARE ONE OR SQUARE ZERO

After some years, this same couple had no money again. They were bankrupted. To eat was a problem, to wear good clothes was a problem.

They both seek for a white garment prophet. The first question this prophet asked them was that WERE ARE YOUR TWINS?

They cant answer, but later the husband confessed the whole thing. The prophet told them that, had it mean they didnt sell off the twins, they will by now be in money and become millionaire. Cos those children are blessings to their family. 

Had it mean they didnt sell of the new born babies, they will be blessings to them, according to the prophet but they looked at how heavy the cross was and they took shortcut to reduce the cross but the cross must be carried to achieve the crown.

Any cross we carry, let's seek for  God's face and His direction. Many had lost their crowns cos they cant bear the crosses they carry and that God didn't show them how the crown will come or how they will get to the crown.

In any affliction we are into, lets seek for God's face and direction not shortcut. Cos if we seek for shortcuts, we wont have the crown. 

No crown, no glory.

At the end of every dark tunnel, there is always a light at the end.

No pain, no gain.

Thanks for reading. 

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