Counting the Costs of Following God

Have you learned about counting costs of following God? I learned several things while writing in May that I want to share with you, centered on the costs of following God.

An Opportunity to Follow God

First, let me give you some background on how I got this opportunity. When I held my launch team for Transforming Your Thought Life: Christian Meditation in Focus in August to October 2019, several launch team members told me they were using the book with their teen daughters. These dear ladies then asked me if I’d ever considered writing a full version of the book for teens.

No, I certainly had not! I write primarily for women between the ages of 30 and 70. I hadn’t even thought about writing for teen girls. In fact, I had a hangup about it, because I didn’t want to revisit the most painful time period of my life, which would be required to write a book for teens. With uncertainty, I emailed the idea to my publisher, and they gave me the green light on the project this February.

They drew up a contract to have the book manuscript due in August. But because I had struggled so much when writing my last book from May to August 2018, when my children were home from school with me, I bumped up the due date to June 1, thinking I’d get it all accomplished before school let out.

Then the quarantine started in March, right after I signed the book contract. Like you, I had many adjustments to make. I loved having my children home 24/7 with me, but it was nearly impossible to find the total focus necessary for crafting book chapters, also for a new audience to boot. It wasn’t until the final week of April that I even felt ready to write, since it took about that long to adjust to the “new normal,” or as my friend Mary calls it, the “new different.”

Counting the Costs

The last week of April, I had weird dreams several nights in a row. When I woke up and asked God what the dreams meant, he told me they were signs of spiritual warfare in the upcoming weeks of writing. He asked me if I would be willing to face the challenges, and without hesitation, I told him yes. I faced it while writing and publishing my last book, and I knew this time would be no different.

What I couldn’t foresee was exactly what type of spiritual warfare I would face. It turned out to be primarily financial. Six of our appliances went out in three days’ time. Two of them are still not working, weeks later. We are making do, but it has cost us quite a bit to make the needed repairs. We encountered inconvenience every day. I faced constant temptation for the problems to grate on my nerves and distract me. I fought back with gratitude for what I still had and tried to overlook what I didn’t have.

We faced more spiritual attacks after that too. My 16-year-old son got his license in May, after waiting eight weeks after his birthday until the testing center reopened. Within one week of driving, someone hit the passenger side door of his truck and left the scene without leaving any information. It’s a big, expensive dent, but at least my son wasn’t hurt – it was a hit-and-run when the truck was parked and no one was in the vehicle.

Counting Even More Costs

The scariest attack came in the final week of my writing assignment. While my husband was cleaning out the clog in the drain pipe of our pond, his right leg got sucked into the pipe, all the way up to his hip. My oldest son was standing there and called 911 because he didn’t know what to do. But thankfully, my husband was able to wriggle free before our 1.5-acre pond drained at least four feet of water – that’s a strong current through the pipe! I firmly believe that God sent his angels to help my husband get away with only a gash on his shin and some bruising and soreness. My husband said it was the worst danger he’s ever found himself in, and he works in construction, one of the most injury-prone professions.

The final week of writing was really tough. Every other chapter was a rewrite, but I added four new ones. They are the most sensitive topics in the book, but I know their generation needs someone like me to go first in the discussions that will help them overcome. That week, the spiritual warfare was fierce. I took it as confirmation that I’m doing the right thing, because Satan attacks those who are stepping out in faith for the good of others.

But did it cause me to be battle weary? Yes. I needed an entire week to rest and regroup after weathering the attacks as well as navigating America’s turmoil over racial injustice.

What I Learned About Counting Costs

The Christian life is costly. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. When you step out in faith, especially for the Gospel to be spread to others, you will be attacked in the spiritual and physical realm. You will need to sacrifice something, whether relationships, money, time, energy, or idols to wholeheartedly follow God’s will.

Jesus spells this out for us in Luke 14:25-35. In this passage, he tells us we must see nothing else as more important than following him. Not even our closest relatives. Nor our own self-focused lives. He tells us we must carry our own crosses as we follow him.

Jesus tells us to count the costs first. I am glad he is practical with us. He never sugarcoats the truth. He says this life of following him will cost us something. It is not cheap. In fact, he states in this passage that we must give up everything we have to be his disciples, in order to be the savory, preserving salt he intends us to be in this dark, decaying world.

Is It Worth The Cost?

I can look back now and say with confidence that my five weeks of writing were certainly worth the costs. I kept my eyes on the goal – helping the next generation of teen girls transform their thought lives through the power of God’s Word. Would I go through it again, even the unspoken warfare that hurt me most? Yes, I would, because it’s doing what God created me to do. It’s part of being his fully devoted disciple, part of carrying my own cross.

What does this mean for you, friend? You will need to count the costs as you move forward in your faith. Are you willing to give up comfort, security, ease, wealth, convenience and personal preferences to live the life God really wants for you? To live in such a way that you will advance God’s kingdom further? So you can have a more powerful impact on the people in your circles of influence?

Consider the costs of taking one more step forward in faith. Yes, it will cost you something. You will find opposition from Satan that will hurt, frustrate, or discourage you. You may even take hits in your relationships, finances, health or other important areas. Jesus wants you to count those costs first, because you won’t necessarily receive a preview of what you might lose.

Jesus wants you fully committed, not dragging your feet in half-hearted discipleship. He also promises to fight on your behalf (Josh. 23:10) and never leave nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5b), along with provide you priceless blessings in exchange for your sacrifice (Matt. 19:29). Yet the choice is ultimately yours.

After counting the costs, are you all in for God?

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
I praise you for fighting spiritual battles on my behalf.
I confess that I often shrink back from challenges in my faith
because I’m clinging too tightly to earthly comforts.
Make my faith bolder, Jesus.
Give me the strength to take up my cross daily and follow you.
Help me count the costs of moving forward
and trust you to more than make up for my sacrifices.
Equip me with spiritual armor to fight spiritual battles.
I thank you in advance for the victories you will win for me
as I fully follow you in faith.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

I pray that whatever you are facing right now, this post has encouraged you. Do you have a prayer request to share with me, or feedback on this post? Simply send me an email with your feedback and prayer requests, friend.

Counting the Costs of Following God

If you liked this post, I would appreciate your shares on social media!

This post may be linked up at these linkups.

If you make a purchase through the provided links, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you in advance for supporting my writing ministry!

My weekly newsletter Tea on Tuesdaysis delivered at 3:00 p.m. Central time every Tuesday.  I write an exclusive devotion for you each week that I share with you first.

To receive the newsletter, please subscribe below. I can’t wait to share personally with you each week!