Jesus said, one must “take up his cross”—one must, in some way, die. The beauty of this command is that it is, in fact, “easier” for those who already feel in some way dead to feel very close to the kingdom. (And the ugly truth of this command is that it actually makes it more difficult for people who feel like they already have their act together to see any appeal in Christ or his kingdom.) Those who live in a near-constant state of desperation are typically the ones most receptive to Jesus.
