“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33).
Jesus was more than clear: whoever wishes to be saved must deny themselves. This means rejecting one’s own will and submitting completely to the will of God. The person no longer seeks to please themselves, nor to exalt themselves, but sees themselves as the one most in need of the Creator’s mercy. It is a call to abandon pride and detach from everything—for the love of Christ.
Denying oneself also involves renouncing the charms of this world: its appearances, its desires, its empty promises. Human wisdom and natural gifts, no matter how admirable they may seem, should not be the foundation of our trust. The true servant learns to depend solely on God, rejecting all forms of confidence in the flesh or in created things.
This transformation is only possible when there is obedience to the powerful Law of God and a sincere attachment to His holy commandments. It is on this path of surrender and submission that the soul learns to reject pride, covetousness, carnal desires, and all the inclinations of the old self. To live for God is to die to oneself, and only those who die to the world can inherit what is eternal. -Adapted from Johann Arndt. See you tomorrow, if the Lord allows.
Pray with me: Lord my God, I thank You for calling me to a life of total surrender. You know how weak my will is and how prone to error, and yet You invite me to live for You.
Help me to deny myself each day. May I not seek my own interests, nor trust in my gifts, nor desire the vanities of this world. Teach me to renounce who I am and what I have, for the love of Your Son, and to obey with all my heart Your powerful Law and Your holy commandments.
Oh, Most Holy God, I adore and praise You because You offer me a new life, far from the slavery of my ego and close to Your heart. Your beloved Son is my eternal Prince and Savior. Your powerful Law is the narrow path that leads to true freedom. Your perfect commandments are like swords that cut away the old self and reveal the beauty of obedience. I pray in the precious name of Jesus, amen.
