And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Mark 10:21-22 (ESV)

 

To follow Jesus is to allow Him to make us whole.

We often don't realise how damaged and broken we are until we are confronted with a deeply uncomfortable experience. The rich young ruler story is a great example of this. When Jesus called the rich young ruler to follow Him, he realised that his wealth hindered him from doing so. The problem is not his wealth; it is his attitude towards it.

Many of us base our identity on our position and possessions. What we believe gives us an advantage over others may well mask our insecurity, fear of scarcity and lack of faith in God. This keeps us from following Jesus faithfully because we are fearful of losing status and recognition.

Losing something we cherish can be painful, but what if that something keeps us from experiencing the fullness and truth of who we are and what we have in Christ? We will resist what the Lord wants to do in our lives, preferring to hold on to the things we have pursued rather than be with the One who is pursuing us.

Establishing our identity in Christ enables us to experience healing, wholeness ad victory. In Him, we lack no good thing but always more than enough.

What is God saying to me here and what must I do?