Mark 8.34-35
He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”
He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”
This week’s focus will be on self-denial. What does it mean to deny oneself? To not eat? To not rest? To be frugal to the point that you live without delight or joy? Many think of self-denial as a negative. But what Jesus says is the opposite. He says when we deny ourselves we gain life. We should find more joy, more delight, more rest.
What things are in your life that if you lost them, you would grow deeper to God? What is holding you back from giving those things over to God and following him?