Let’s be honest.
Somewhere along the way, we convinced ourselves that following Jesus was supposed to be… chill.
You know—go to church, sing the songs (but not too loud), avoid major sins, smile during announcements, and keep the emotional stuff for altar calls and youth camp.
Rinse. Repeat. Go eat chips and queso.
But Jesus didn’t go to the cross so we could coast.
He didn’t rise from the grave so we could settle.
He didn’t send His Spirit so we could just “vibe and survive.”
Let me say it plainly:
Jesus didn’t die so you could live a quiet, well-behaved life.
He died so you could live a bold, dangerous, Spirit-filled, demon-kicking, heaven-bringing life.
“Then he said to them all, ‘If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.’”
—Luke 9:23 (CSB)
Notice it doesn’t say:
“Let him take up his trendy devotional, follow his feelings, and be nice online.”
Nope.
It says cross.
Daily.
Like, before coffee.
Comfort Isn’t a Fruit of the Spirit
Let’s get something straight:
God is not against comfort. But He is against it being your master.
We’ve gotten so good at curating cozy Christian lives that the Holy Spirit could move and we’d still say,
“Hey, can You come back after the potluck?”
We treat obedience like a side quest.
- “Pray for that person? In public? What if I look weird?”
- “Go on a fast? But… Chick-fil-A exists.”
- “Lay down my pride? But it’s my favorite!”
“These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too…”
—Acts 17:6 (CSB)
The early church wasn’t known for their branding.
They were known for boldness.
They made demons nervous.
They didn’t “blend in”—they blew up every room they entered (in a spiritual sense, of course… mostly).
The Cross Wasn’t Comfy
We wear cross necklaces.
We have cross tattoos.
We hang rustic farmhouse-style crosses over our mantles.
But in Jesus’ day, the cross was a death machine.
It wasn’t “a vibe”—it was a violent interruption.
“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me…”
—Galatians 2:20 (CSB)
Translation:
This isn’t about your brand, your goals, or your five-year plan.
Something in you has to die if Christ is going to fully live through you.
Your fear of being judged.
Your need to be comfortable.
Your obsession with not looking “too radical.”
Let it go.
You weren’t made for safe.
You were made for set-apart.
You Weren’t Born to Blend In
We’ve got too many undercover Christians.
Disciples in stealth mode.
Jesus followers who follow from way over there, just in case He asks them to do something “awkward.”
But Scripture doesn’t call us to blend in.
It calls us to transform the world.
“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
—Romans 12:2 (CSB)
If your faith never costs you anything, makes anyone uncomfortable, or interrupts your to-do list… you might be following a safe version of Jesus.
You know—the Pinterest board Jesus. The one who loves lattes, doesn’t mess with your schedule, and never talks about sin.
Yeah… He’s not real.
The real Jesus flipped tables.
He touched lepers.
He hugged kids and rebuked religious leaders in the same afternoon.
And He says, “Follow Me.”
So again, let’s Break the Mold.
Let’s stop pretending that the goal of faith is to behave.
Let’s stop making “not cussing or drinking” the height of holiness.
Let’s stop acting like radical obedience is only for missionaries and pastors.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.”
—John 10:10 (CSB)
That abundant life might mess with your plans.
It might stretch your faith.
It might put you in rooms where you don’t feel qualified.
But guess what?
That’s the point.
The quiet life is overrated.
The obedient life is where the wild stuff happens.
So if you’re tired of boring Christianity, good.
Jesus is calling.
And He’s not whispering.
Reflection Questions:
Where have you traded boldness for comfort?
This week, ask the Holy Spirit to interrupt your schedule.
Yes, seriously.
Give Him permission to mess it all up—and then follow Him anyway.
break the mold 
Leave a comment