Taking up one’s cross is not some mystical level of selfless “deeper spiritual life” that only the religious elite can hope to achieve. Nor is it the common trials and hardships that all persons experience sometime in life. A cross is not having an unsaved husband, nagging wife, or domineering mother-in-law. Nor is it having a physical handicap or suffering from an incurable disease. To take up one’s cross is simply to be willing to pay any price for Christ’s sake. It is the willingness to endure shame, embarrassment, reproach, rejection, persecution, and even martyrdom for His sake.
John MacArthur

Bible – English_World – Micah Chapter 4:1-13.

Index: World English Bible

 

Micah 4

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4:1 But in the latter days, It will happen that the mountain of Yahweh’s temple will be established on the top of the mountains, And it will be exalted above the hills; And peoples will stream to it.

4:2 Many nations will go and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, And to the house of the God of Jacob; And he will teach us of his ways, And we will walk in his paths.” For out of Zion will go forth the law, And the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem;

4:3 And he will judge between many peoples, And will decide concerning strong nations afar off. They will beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, Neither will they learn war any more.

4:4 But they will sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; And no one will make them afraid: For the mouth of Yahweh of Hosts has spoken.

4:5 Indeed all the nations may walk in the name of their gods; But we will walk in the name of Yahweh our God forever and ever.

4:6 “In that day,” says Yahweh, “I will assemble that which is lame, And I will gather that which is driven away, And that which I have afflicted;

4:7 And I will make that which was lame a remnant, And that which was cast far off a strong nation: And Yahweh will reign over them on Mount Zion from then on, even forever.

4:8 You, tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, To you it will come, Yes, the former dominion will come, The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.

4:9 Now why do you cry out aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, That pains have taken hold of you as of a woman in travail?

4:10 Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, daughter of Zion, Like a woman in travail; For now you will go forth out of the city, And will dwell in the field, And will come even to Babylon. There you will be rescued. There Yahweh will redeem you from the hand of your enemies.

4:11 Now many nations have assembled against you, that say, ‘Let her be defiled, And let our eye gloat over Zion.’

4:12 But they don’t know the thoughts of Yahweh, Neither do they understand his counsel; For he has gathered them like the sheaves to the threshing floor.

4:13 Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion; For I will make your horn iron, And I will make your hoofs brass; And you will beat in pieces many peoples: And I will devote their gain to Yahweh, And their substance to the Lord of the whole earth.