^{Matt 16:24} Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. ²⁶ For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

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A God idea looks like things aren’t going to be as comfortable as I would like.

A God Idea looks like I have to care about someone who clearly doesn’t care about me.

A God idea looks like I’m going to have to get up early, stay up later, and have less time for myself.

A God idea looks like I won’t have as much money, as much security, and I’m going to be unsure of the future.

How can a God idea be better than a good idea? I have a good idea of what will make me happy. I have a good idea of what justice looks like. I have a pretty good idea of how much I need to survive and secure a future where I don’t have stress about paying bills and broken-down cars. I’m a fully-fledged, fully actuated, full-grown adult. I think I know a good idea when I see one. Who is better than me at running my life; don’t I have the best insight into what is best for me?

What if I told you the presence of God is worth more than anything in the world?

The presence of God is worth more than comfort, it's worth more than money, it's worth more than any accolades. You can have all those things, and more; but if you do not have the presence of God, why does any of it matter?

At the end of the day, the God idea gets you where God has promised you. The God idea gets you exactly where God wants you to be. And the reality is we must submit ourselves to the Spirit of God who guides us and leads us where He wants us to be.

This submitting and enduring and cross bearing, it doesn’t give us the best. It gives us God who is better than the best. Better than any idea we could ever have. Better than we can imagine.

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