Count the Cost - Luke 14:28

I am convinced that the apostle Paul struggled with loveing his bothers as himself. I don't think they had anger management in his day, but if they did he might have had to partake once or twice. Love is not an emotion, contrary to what the world would say. Love is a commitment because it is based on a commandment. In John 14:31 Jesus stated that the Father had given Him a commandment and to prove His love for the Father He would do it. His commandment was to die on the cross for our sins; How often do you think He counted the cost of that love? I don't know about you, but I have never had to struggle with something so profound that it caused me to sweat blood.
In Luke 14 Jesus was illustrating that there was a price for love. In other words it's going to cost me something to love God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. I must forsake all that I have known and loved of this world and love Him more. This is called picking up your cross and following Jesus. What is your cross? Well it's not your burdens, afflictions or any other number of specified negatives. It is our banner of love. That's right, the cross is a banner for all to see. Let your light shine before man...Wait a second...This kind of means I have to love people too. I must illustrate my love for God by demonstrating in loving others. I see said the blind man!!!
This kind of commitment requires me to die to myself, daily. Just like Paul, sometimes I can be so hard headed. You ever hear the expression; "his heart was right but his head got in the way", well that's me. My mom always use to tell me when it came to instruction; "don't think, just do".
Sometimes when we start to analyze what we are told to do, we can really mess things up. Let me sum it up another way; "analyzing turns to agonising". That's when your cross becomes a burden!