Discouraged or Devoted?

There was a moment when a rich young ruler came to Jesus Christ. This man had kept all of the commandments since his youth. Yet...
Luke 18:22-23: When Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow Me."

This man had done "nothing wrong" according to the law. What must it have felt like to be told, "Yeah, but I want to ask something more from you." This man has probably labored over decisions in his life; probably feels as if he's done pretty well overall. I suppose in many ways...he has. He's a good person. But in this example, being a good person is separated from the expectations of Jesus. There may be some expectation to be a good person, but Jesus asks more of us. Jesus just told a good person, that he needs to do one more thing before following him.

That's hard to hear. It's hard to hear that more is required, when you feel like you've given all you can possibly give. Or, in a different way, it is hard to be asked for the one thing you don't really want to give...when you've given everything else other than that one thing. I mean, you're entitled to that one thing for yourself...right? Oswald Chambers puts it like this: "Rid yourself before God of everything that might be considered a possession until you are a mere conscious human being standing before Him...and then give God that."

Luke 18:23: "When he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich."
This is where my life becomes much like the rich young ruler's at this moment. Unlike the rich young ruler, I am not able to stand before Jesus and say, "I've kept all the commandments since my youth." The rich young ruler feels sorrowful. Why? Is it because he doesn't think he can give his money away? Is it because he loves possessions? Is it because following Jesus would cost him "too much?" Well...Yeah.

Measuring what you should do for Jesus with the current worlds perception of things makes this feel ridiculous. I mean, it's ridiculous to give everything. We work "so hard" for what we have. Why shouldn't we do what we want to with stuff? The answer is because all this stuff is His anyway. We need to love Jesus Himself. Not be proud or want to boast about our devotion to Jesus. Only Jesus is worthy of that praise. It is His Spirit that accomplishes this work in us anyway. The praise, glory, honor, and power are His.

Yet I feel sorrowful. Because I haven't yet been able to fully lay my life down for Jesus. I hope one day, I find the courage to fully receive what Jesus did for me...and live my life according to His direction, and His example. Not that I would be "perfect" exactly, but that I would be after Jesus with every ounce of energy I have.