Do I seek God with all my heart or is it merely an occasional glance?

Following Christ is costly in many ways. The greatest cost of all is to the old nature, ego, self. Nowhere in the Gospels do I find anything optimistic for earthly promises. Jesus told His hearers the whole truth and let them make up their minds. After Jesus spoke to "followers" (disciples) about the conditions, they turned back and no longer followed him. (John 6:66). Jesus might have grieved over His Cost of Discipleship requirements, but He never ran after them to try to win them with rosy promises. Christians all around us are trying every shortcut they can think of, to get "something for nothing" in the kingdom of God. Although God's grace has been given freely to humans who do not deserve it, the grace of God and point out that Jesus commanded us to take up our cross and follow Him. Our minds are so much set on things earthly and so little on things above. To grow in Christ as God desires demands on our submission to Him.