Jesus tells us to welcome and embrace our cross confident that no matter how painful it might be, God's love will not be overwhelmed. But, the question remains. After all, a cross is not pleasant. It really is a torture to face the big crosses of our lives. Failure and defeat can spur me to increased effort that may eventually lead to success and growth.
Effort is no guarantee of success.
If my cross is meant merely to be a goad, then it's not worth it. When there seems to be no hope, when all my dreams are nailed to a cross, then I might turn to God. We have all seen people who have been driven from God and others by the crosses they must bear. The anguish parents feel when they see their child suffer may draw them to prayer. But, it can also drive them to hate God.