Take Up Your Cross

Self-denial is not about self-loathing or denying ourselves good things; it’s the decision to live for something greater than ourselves. Professional athletes do this all of the time. They make weight, improve stamina or hand-eye coordination, get a full night's rest, and are generally healthy, all of which involve a lot of self-denial. If you’ve ever been on a diet you understand a part of what most of these athletes go through — denying yourself that chocolate chip cookie or box of fries isn’t always easy. Athletes do this because they want to win, leave a legacy, break records, etc. They sacrifice their immediate desires for something bigger.

As Christians, we are called to obey Jesus and deny ourselves in a self-sacrificial way. Jesus calls it taking (picking) up the cross because we are essentially dying to ourselves, to our own worldly desires. If you’re thinking that dying to yourself sounds painful, you’re right, it certainly can be. Now, we aren’t professional athletes, so most of us aren’t denying ourselves in the same ways; instead, we are denying ourselves of our desires, ambitions, and comforts in order to prioritize God’s will. Ultimately, we are choosing God’s kingdom over our kingdom, seeking His glory over our own, and pursuing what God considers valuable rather than what we consider valuable. In a world that constantly tells us to pursue our own happiness and desires, Jesus’ command is truly counter-cultural. He wants us to let go of the things we think we need in order to fully embrace the life He promises. Now, this doesn’t mean we are forsaking all of our dreams or desires; rather, we surrender them to God’s will, trusting He knows what is best! In the process of surrendering to God, you might just find that some of the things you desire are things the Lord Himself put in your heart!

Questions to ask yourself:

1. What are the areas of my life where I may be holding onto my own desires or control?

2. How can I embrace the difficulty of self-denial, trusting that God is shaping me more into His image?

What’s next?

1. Ask God to help you surrender any desires or control you are holding onto and to seek His will above your own.

Pray this prayer

Jesus, you gave up everything to become a man and die for me. Your desire for me is to pick up my own cross and die to myself, denying myself of all of the worldly pursuits that offer a lesser path. Lord, only through you am I capable of such a feat. I pray that you would strengthen me and teach me what it means to deny myself daily.