​Although John states that His commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3) and Jesus states that we will find rest for our souls by being yoked to Him in His work (Matthew 11:29-30), our undisciplined “flesh” or “old self” may find obeying and following Jesus to be otherwise. Paul saying, “but I discipline my body and make it my slave” and Jesus saying, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” “he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me,” and “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it” suggest that the flesh will suffer in following Jesus’ teachings, commandments, warnings, and judgments. More specifically, forgiving others who have hurt or injured us or loved ones, showing or desiring mercy for those who reject it, turning the other cheek, going the extra mile, not coveting, not loving the world, bearing other’s burdens, and seeking the last place are certainly not “old-self” friendly. Following Jesus, however, is where the “suffering because of sin” is transformed to “suffering because of righteousness” for God’s glory and Jesus’ fellowship. Paul describes it as,
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“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)