Not reating with women well at work

[everseeking]

Do you believe that a relationship with Jesus and God is a way of ensuring good mental health?

Sometimes I get anxiety worrying about Hell or having sinful thoughts. And guilt of course over past mistakes.

Currently I seem to have a transference issue. I have had difficult work relations with some women . But it seems to be a pattern now as I change workplaces. I seem to clash or attract rude behaviour from women especially those who have seniority over me. I know it is something I am doing or thinking but cant seem to stop it. Not all women of course as I have been happily married for 25 years. I think it is one for the counsellor rather than prayer but still.

[everseeking]

I sometimes think the quote "take up your cross and follow me" is such a daunting request. Isnt this the real reason we don't want to become Christian? That we are afraid God will ask too much of us? That He wants us to choose the painful route, the one where we receive insults and don't seek payback. We might get chewed out by our boss, and somehow try to see from his point of view. We get micro-managed by a line manager and silently suffer, instead of blowing a fuse. We choose to read our bible before going to bed, instead of playing our favourite computer game.

[missmuffet]

Question: "What did Jesus mean when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23)?"

Answer: Let’s begin with what Jesus didn’t mean. Many people interpret “cross” as some burden they must carry in their lives: a strained relationship, a thankless job, a physical illness. With self-pitying pride, they say, “That’s my cross I have to carry.” Such an interpretation is not what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.”

When Jesus carried His cross up Golgotha to be crucified, no one was thinking of the cross as symbolic of a burden to carry. To a person in the first-century, the cross meant one thing and one thing only: death by the most painful and humiliating means human beings could develop.

Two thousand years later, Christians view the cross as a cherished symbol of atonement, forgiveness, grace, and love. But in Jesus’ day, the cross represented nothing but torturous death. Because the Romans forced convicted criminals to carry their own crosses to the place of crucifixion, bearing a cross meant carrying their own execution device while facing ridicule along the way to death.

Therefore, “Take up your cross and follow Me” means being willing to die in order to follow Jesus. This is called “dying to self.” It’s a call to absolute surrender. After each time Jesus commanded cross bearing, He said, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (Luke 9:24-25). Although the call is tough, the reward is matchless.

Wherever Jesus went, He drew crowds. Although these multitudes often followed Him as Messiah, their view of who the Messiah really was—and what He would do—was distorted. They thought the Christ would usher in the restored kingdom. They believed He would free them from the oppressive rule of their Roman occupiers. Even Christ’s own inner circle of disciples thought the kingdom was coming soon (Luke 19:11). When Jesus began teaching that He was going to die at the hands of the Jewish leaders and their Gentile overlords (Luke 9:22), His popularity sank. Many of the shocked followers rejected Him. Truly, they were not able to put to death their own ideas, plans, and desires, and exchange them for His.

Following Jesus is easy when life runs smoothly; our true commitment to Him is revealed during trials. Jesus assured us that trials will come to His followers (John 16:33). Discipleship demands sacrifice, and Jesus never hid that cost.

In Luke 9:57-62, three people seemed willing to follow Jesus. When Jesus questioned them further, their commitment was half-hearted at best. They failed to count the cost of following Him. None was willing to take up his cross and crucify upon it his own interests.

Therefore, Jesus appeared to dissuade them. How different from the typical Gospel presentation! How many people would respond to an altar call that went, “Come follow Jesus, and you may face the loss of friends, family, reputation, career, and possibly even your life”? The number of false converts would likely decrease! Such a call is what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.”

If you wonder if you are ready to take up your cross, consider these questions:
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing some of your closest friends?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from your family?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means the loss of your reputation?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your job?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your life?

In some places of the world, these consequences are reality. But notice the questions are phrased, “Are you willing?” Following Jesus doesn’t necessarily mean all these things will happen to you, but are you willing to take up your cross? If there comes a point in your life where you are faced with a choice—Jesus or the comforts of this life—which will you choose?

Commitment to Christ means taking up your cross daily, giving up your hopes, dreams, possessions, even your very life if need be for the cause of Christ. Only if you willingly take up your cross may you be called His disciple (Luke 14:27). The reward is worth the price. Jesus followed His call of death to self (“Take up your cross and follow Me”) with the gift of life in Christ: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25-26).

http://www.gotquestions.org/take-up-your-cross.html

[everseeking]

19 minutes ago, bopeep1909 said:

Many people interpret “cross” as some burden they must carry in their lives: a strained relationship, a thankless job, a physical illness. With self-pitying pride, they say, “That’s my cross I have to carry.” Such an interpretation is not what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.”

That is exactly how I interpreted it.

[everseeking]

20 minutes ago, bopeep1909 said:

Although the call is tough, the reward is matchless.

so the call is tough you admit?

[everseeking]

21 minutes ago, bopeep1909 said:

Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your job?

Now that is the very question on my mind right now. Not sure if speaking my mind to my boss is the way to go as I have just started. What would Jesus do I ask myself? Maybe he would humbly submit to authority as he says in the bible "give to Caesar what is caeser's" "and if they ask you to drive 50 km, drive 100 km"

[everseeking]

31 minutes ago, bopeep1909 said:

wayIf you wonder if you are ready to take up your cross, consider these questions:
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing some of your closest friends?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from your family?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means the loss of your reputation?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your job?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your life?

It is a big ask though, if you look at these questions. I mean how many of us are really prepared to die for Jesus Christ for instance ? If we are really put in that test situation.

To really take up the challenge of accepting the cross in surrender, we are going way beyond our comfort zones.

Edited May 18, 2016 by everseeking

[missmuffet]

33 minutes ago, everseeking said:

so the call is tough you admit?

So nothing is tough if you ask God for strength and If you want to follow Him 100%.

[missmuffet]

24 minutes ago, everseeking said:

It is a big ask though, if you look at these questions. I mean how many of us are really prepared to die for Jesus Christ for instance ? If we are really put in that test situation.

To really take up the challenge of accepting the cross in surrender, we are going way beyond our comfort zones.

I am prepared to do all of those things for Christ. It is either follow Christ or this world.

[everseeking]

1 hour ago, bopeep1909 said:

It is either follow Christ or this world.

For me it either follow Christ or follow my ego or human nature which is very flawed I know. My ego or pride is THE problem.