THE COST OF FOLLOWING CHRIST

Daily Grace Devotional
Tuesday, May 19th, 2026

The Price, the Process, and the Glory of True Discipleship
“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” — Luke 14:27

LET’S TALK
The call to discipleship is glorious—but it is not casual.

Jesus never invited men into a comfortable religion built around convenience and self-preservation. He invited them into a life of surrender, transformation, sacrifice, and unwavering loyalty to Him.
In our generation, many desire:
The blessings of Christ
The promises of Christ
The power of Christ
But fewer are willing to embrace the cost of truly following Him.

Yet Jesus spoke plainly and repeatedly about the demands of discipleship because He never wanted men to follow Him under false expectations.
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost…?” — Luke 14:28
True discipleship requires intentionality.
It demands that a man evaluates:
What must be surrendered
What must be abandoned
What must be crucified
What must be pursued
Because Christ will not merely add Himself to your life—He must become Lord over it.

THE CROSS IS CENTRAL TO DISCIPLESHIP:

“…let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” — Luke 9:23
The cross represents:
Death to self-will
Death to carnality
Death to compromise
Death to self-centered living

This is why discipleship is deeply transformational.
A disciple cannot continue to live governed by:
Fleshly desires
Worldly patterns
Human applause
Carnal ambitions
Because the cross confronts everything in us that resists the Lordship of Christ.
And notice carefully: Jesus said the cross must be taken up daily.
This means discipleship is not sustained by one emotional moment—it is sustained by continual surrender.

DISCIPLESHIP WILL TEST YOUR LOYALTIES:

Jesus made one of the strongest statements concerning discipleship:
“He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…” — Matthew 10:37
This does not teach hatred toward family; rather, it reveals the absolute supremacy of Christ.
A disciple must place Jesus above:
Relationships
Reputation
Comfort
Personal ambition
Earthly attachments
Because divided loyalty weakens discipleship.

THE WORLD WILL NOT ALWAYS UNDERSTAND TRUE DISCIPLESHIP
Jesus warned His disciples:
“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” — John 15:18
A true disciple cannot shape truth to fit societal acceptance.
Why?
Because light naturally exposes darkness.
There will be moments when standing for truth costs:
Approval
Popularity
Acceptance
Opportunity
But discipleship demands faithfulness above comfort.
The Apostle Paul therefore declared:
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” — 2 Timothy 3:12
This persecution may not always be physical—it may come through:
Rejection
Ridicule
Isolation
Misunderstanding
Yet the disciple remains steadfast.

THE POWER TO ENDURE THE COST
The beauty of discipleship is this: Christ never asks us to follow Him in our own strength.
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” — Philippians 4:13
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to:
Remain faithful
Stand courageously
Endure trials
Continue steadfastly
This is why true discipleship is not legalistic striving—it is Spirit-enabled transformation.

THE GLORY BEYOND THE COST
Though discipleship carries demands, it also carries incomparable reward.
Jesus said:
“Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother… for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” — Matthew 19:29
The Kingdom never takes from you without producing something greater within you.
The cost of discipleship may be painful temporarily, but its fruit is eternal:
Christlike character
Spiritual authority
Intimacy with God
Eternal impact
Everlasting reward

THE FINAL CHARGE
The world does not merely need people who admire Jesus from a distance.
It needs disciples who:
Carry the cross faithfully
Continue steadfastly in truth
Stand courageously for righteousness
Follow Christ without compromise
Because true discipleship is not proven in comfort— It is proven in consecration, consistency, and endurance.
And those who follow Christ fully will eventually reflect Him visibly.

PRAYER
Dear Father, strengthen my heart to follow Christ fully regardless of the cost. Teach me to deny myself daily, carry my cross faithfully, and remain steadfast in truth. Deliver me from compromise, fear, and divided loyalties. Let Christ be formed in me until my life reflects His nature completely. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

FURTHER STUDY
Luke 14:25–33
Luke 9:23–24
Matthew 10:37–39
John 15:18–20
Philippians 4:13

ACT
Today, prayerfully examine your walk with Christ:
Is there any area of compromise?
Is there anything competing with your loyalty to Jesus?
Are you truly carrying your cross daily?
Surrender every competing affection to Christ and recommit yourself fully to the path of discipleship.
© Jeremiah Owofio