Carry Your Cross is not a "Jabezian" Theology

I read a blog on suffering today that helps me to better understand disappointments, hardships, physical and mental pain. Thomas a Kempis wrote much about the value of suffering
and the blogger quotes from him on her site.
"Realize that you must lead a dying life; the more a man dies to himself, the more he begins to live unto God."

Jesus said:
“If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

That sure flies in the face of much of the current teachings of wealth, prosperity and the "enlarging your borders" of Jabezian* theology. Jesus and the disciples seemed much more "Franciscan" and less "Jabezian." As a matter of fact, the early church pretty much suffered all the time and the blood of the martyrs became the seeds of this church. Not much wealth and prosperity there, but talk about "enlarging your borders!" The Gospel of Jesus Christ spread throughout the world!

Check out this blog for some needed thoughts about suffering: The Mystery of Suffering



*Prayer of Jabez was a 93 page book that sold 9 million copies was at the top of the NY Times BestSeller's List in 2000.