How Does It Look Like To Carry Your Cross?

24 Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? -Matthew 16:24-26 BSB

The cross is a picture of denying one's interest by obeying God's will and putting Jesus above their life to follow Him wherever He leads. If your cross leads you to death for the sake of Jesus and the gospel, then death shall it be without recanting one's faith in Jesus Christ.

But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven. -Matthew 10:33 BSB

Daniel and his three friends exemplified what it meant to carry one's cross (putting their lives at risk for God rather than compromising God's Word).

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.” -Daniel 3:16-18 BSB

The king signed a document prohibiting anyone to pray to their god which included Daniel praying to the true God. However, Daniel dismissed such a command and continued to pray to Yahweh.

So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” -Daniel 6:16 BSB

If you compromise your faith in the truth for the sake of friends, family, coworkers, followers, or in any other circumstance, you have denied the faith and have been severed from Christ.