Counting The Cost

What does it really cost to follow Christ? What does it really look like to follow after Him?
I mean we can say we are Christ followers. But if we only say it with our mouths and do not live like it, who are we? The teaching last night in our bible study was about counting the cost. Yes, there is a cost to follow Jesus. Yes, there are things we need to give up to live a life of holiness. What is it we run to? What is it for you? The TV, computer, sex, drugs, your fast car, tabloids, food or alchohol; what is it for you? For me, it is the computer. If I am feeling stressed, I sit down and let cyberspace consume my thoughts. I check and recheck email throughout the day. It eats up precious minutes of my day. It has gotten out of whack. So what do I do? Turn it off completely? Perhaps, but I feel that it falls more under the lines of balance. If I can accomplish what I need to accomplish, then walk away. So be it. If I keep returning, then maybe I turn it off for the remainder of the day.
There are things God calls us to do to become more like Him. It may be give up a certain TV show. It may be stop eating or drinking a certain food. It may be clean up your language. Whatever it is, obedience is what I long for. For in obeying, comes Christlikeness. Which I am far from. Yet as He removes things from my life, I can become more and more like Him. He will be ever working on me. When one thing is accomplished, we will start working on another. Then another. Then another. There is a cost, it is hard to say no to the flesh. It hurts sometimes to say no to that which your flesh desires. Your change may displease family and friends around you.

Luke 14:25-30 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'

Will you finish? Will you allow the Lord who has begun a good work in you to complete it? Or will you walk away? Will you care more what your mother, father, sister brother think? Which by the way the word hate in the above text means to love less. So will you love them less then your Lord? The scripture says if we do not we can not be his disciple. Will you take up your cross and follow Him? No matter what the cost? Let it be so for me!