The Cost of Following

"...immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him." (Matthew 4:22)

When Jesus called James and John, they dropped everything they had going on in their lives and followed him. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the future and what God may have in store for me. After being in Taiwan, I really feel like that's a possible place that God may call me. While I don't know for sure if that's where I'll end up and I don't want to focus too much on the future, I feel like I need to consider what the cost would be for me to follow that calling (if that is, in fact, where God wants me).

I love Taiwan. A lot. I love how hospitable the people are, how bustling the city is, and how beautiful and breathtaking the mountains are. I would absolutely love to live there someday. I even have a fair number of friends there that I miss so much and would love love love to see again as soon as possible.

But then I think about how many things I wouldn't be around for at home. I'm sure I'd miss weddings, births of babies, funerals, etc. Aside from those big things, Facebook would no doubt remind me that all of my friends here are together, doing things without me. Life would still go on for everyone here, minus me.

I guess the possible costs of following Christ have never been as real to me as they feel right now. The fact that I'm considering moving overseas in just under a year is really exciting and scary. I know that we, as believers, will have to make sacrifices in order to follow Christ, but that doesn't mean it's easy to make them.

The question I'm still dealing with is this: When Jesus calls will I, like James and John, be willing to leave behind everything familiar and comfortable to follow?