MK 8:34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

There is going to be many instances (especially in your time of wilderness) that you will want to take the cross that God has called you to carry and trade it in for one that is a little more lighter and easier for you to carry. The cross is meant to be an instrument of death and a burden to have to carry around, but in your life it will become a tool that God uses to transform you from a fleshly selfish person, into a more loving and giving person like Jesus. Our cross is meant to kill us and replace our old character with Jesus' new character, so it is always meant for our good, and never our bad, and we shouldn't keep trying to get rid of it.

Some crosses you may have to bear for a time may be a difficult marriage, financial need, physical challenges, disobedient children, being denied and restricted from your own will and desires, losing family and friends while God is renovating you so that your progress is not hindered or distracted, losing your possessions, losing your physical beauty, losing your giftings, having to walk with or serve under very difficult people, losing your place in ministry, being given over to the consequences of your sin or an addiction, being blamed for things that you didn't do, or anything else that transforms your fleshiness into His righteousness.

Your particular cross is specifically designed for you alone and it will not fit anyone else, it is not transferable nor interchangeable, because you need your specially designed cross in order for you to mature properly spiritually. So I just want to encourage you today my friend that if you have been tempted lately to get rid of your old crosses and trade them in for new and easier ones, that you need them and there is no point in trying to run away from them because a new similar cross will just be waiting for you. "Wherever we go, there we are", so we need our crosses in order to change us. Crosses don't last forever, so hang on to yours.

HEB 12: 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.