Indeed following Jesus is not a bed of roses . Jesus Himself foresaw this that's why He advised that who so ever wants to follow Him must first deny himself.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Matt 16:24 KJV
Believe me, there is more to this statement other than the literary meaning.
To sum it up, I think one of the ways to know that you're actually following after His foot steps and doing His will is when we are confronted with persecutions and tribulations even from people that are within the 'household of faith'
Thanks once again for the share. It was a good read.
Amen!