²³ And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23 ESV)

The audacious idea of denying yourself runs contrary to everything this world stands for, but is perfectly in line with God’s plan for the world.

Many places in scripture point to opposite ideology from what the world prescribes. Maybe that is because man’s plans are so poorly devised that God knew there needed to be a completely different way.

To tell us to both deny ourselves and take up a cross puts many so outside their comfort zone that they cannot even conceptualize what it would be like. Look around you. No, really look around. What does the things you have say about you? Have you just gathered a host of worldly “things” or is what you have useful to God? If we were truly to live as scripture implies, how different our world would look.

Reflect on: What you have, what you do and are you denying yourself anywhere in life?