God has one great desire - to have what may be termed 'a people of His best'. Until He has such a people, He will never be wholly satisfied. There may be those who will accept His 'second-best' - for He surely often allows a second-best - but only a people set on His very best will truly satisfy His own heart. But since the attainment unto His best is a matter fraught with conflict and cost and discipline, and much that is utterly contrary to the whole course of nature, it is not everybody - indeed, it is but a comparative few - who will go on with Him to His best.
I said: “Let me walk in the fields.” He said: “No, walk in the town.” I said: “There are no flowers there.” He said: “No flowers, but a crown.” I said: “But the skies are black; There is nothing but noise and din.” And He wept as He sent me back – “There is more,” He said; “there is sin.” I said: “But the air is thick, And fogs are veiling the sun.” He answered: “Yet souls are sick, and souls in the dark undone!” I said: “I shall miss the light, and friends will miss me, they say.” He answered: “Choose tonight If I am to miss you or they.” I pleaded for time to be given. He said: “Is it hard to decide? It will not seem so hard in heaven to have followed the steps of your Guide.” I cast one look at the fields, Then set my face to the town; He said, “My child, do you yield? Will you leave the flowers for the crown?” Then into His hand went mine; And into my heart came He; And I walk in a light divine, the path I had feared to see.
When you come to Christ, you must drop your conditions. You have to give up the right to say, ‘I will obey you if... I will do this if...' As soon as you say, ‘I will obey you if,’ that is not obedience at all. You are saying: ‘You are my adviser, not my Lord. I will be happy to take your recommendations. And I might even do some of them.’ No. If you want Jesus with you, you have to give up the right to self-determination. Self-denial is an act of rebellion against our late-modern culture of self-assertion. But that is what we are called to. Nothing less.