CULTIVATE SELF-DENIAL AND FOLLOW JESUS
Central to the life of a Christ follower is the concept of self-denial. I realize that in today’s world of self-gratification and “living our best life now” ideology, the thought of surrendering one’s desires seems antiquated.
Self-denial is rooted in the biblical conviction that a believer is called to serve God and others. That call necessarily challenges us to consider the needs of God and others before our own. As Jesus prepared Himself for the ultimate act of self-denial on the Cross, He confronted the disciples with these words:
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self (Luke 9:23-25)?
Some mistakenly equate self-denial with self-abuse or self-hatred. To deny self does not mean abstaining from those things that sustain life, nor does it infer that one cannot enjoy life, be happy, or take pleasure in godly pursuits. I like to think of self-denial as the ordering of one’s priorities to come into alignment with the Lord’s.
A “take up your cross” life intentionally focuses on others. Our sinful brokenness doesn’t naturally look to the needs of others. Spiritual disciplines like prayer and fasting help us focus on God so that we can better focus on others. But other disciplines turn us from inward to outward focus:
Forgiveness: letting go of wrongs perpetrated against us gives us a renewed energy to pay attention to others.
Generosity: purposefully giving away resources like time and treasure releases us from materialistic idolatry that crowds out God.
I could list other disciplines like serving and humility that, when practiced, move our focus from self to God to others. This is what Jesus meant when He said, “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.” Living a life of sacrifice is not just about giving up some things; it’s also about gaining other things.
When we align our priorities with God’s, we gain so much. The chief gain is an ever-deepening relationship with God the Father. I have learned that a healthy relationship with God provides wisdom and strength to develop positive relationships with those around me. You can’t love God without it affecting how you love your neighbor. Strong relationships are foundational to telling others about the new life that comes through grace and faith in Christ.
Following Christ is, in fact, an act of self-denial. In our social media-driven culture, a top mark for success is one’s number of followers. I spoke recently with a publishing company about a book idea, and they seemed more concerned about the number of followers than the book’s premise. They would not consider my book proposal unless I had a minimum of 5000 social media followers, 10,000 email subscribers, and more. I get it! They are, after all, in the business of selling books.
Following Christ, however, has never been a mark of popularity. While the Church has grown from a local group of 12 to millions globally, the message of daily denying self still lacks mass appeal. Christ’s call to focus on others instead of wallowing in self-absorbed narcissism isn’t a great marketing campaign. Nevertheless, broken people constantly come to faith because of the hope they witness in Jesus’s people.
Hope in Christ leads to forgiveness of sin, and forgiveness leads to freedom. Freedom compels us to serve others. And when we serve others, they can experience the hope of abundant life now and eternal life to come.
The Apostle Paul urged the church at Corinth to follow him as he followed Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Take a moment to apply Paul’s example to your life. Make a list of who is following you right now. Let me offer some suggestions: kids, grandkids, friends, co-workers, and more. Seriously, go ahead and make a list.
Now ask the Holy Spirit who among your followers needs you today. Is one of them hurt? Are any of them experiencing trouble? Can I rejoice with a follower today? I promise that if you ask the Holy Spirit to help you look outward, He will happily oblige. And He will give you the strength and creativity to minister in the Name of Jesus effectively.
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