Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. (Matthew 16:24 NASB)
Concerning our willingness to follow the way of the cross...
In the words of A.B. Bruce,
"The great ambition of the millions is to be happy as 'animals,' not to be blessed as 'saved,' noble spirited men.
This animalistic behavior is to have our needs and all our wants fulfilled. The redemption of our soul is precious; it cannot be delivery from the bondage of sin by corrupt able things though. There, things only make our case more hopeless.
Maybe this is it (after careful thought): "Where faith and hope are not, little Christian heroism will be found." {A. B. Bruce}
Maybe this is why so many Christians have trouble living their lives for Jesus without struggling in their faith of whether they are saved sometimes or wondering whether they will surrender their lives to serving Him. They don't believe in the "reality" of the Kingdom...
Soldiers die each day for the hope of a freedom one day they will enjoy. New immigrants to this nation became a part of us with the hope of a reality of a nation they would enjoy one day.
Maybe it is because many Christians have not succumbed to the reality of the Kingdom of God because they do not understand Jesus' words of "take up thy cross" and follow me.
