Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25

As a little girl growing up in upstate New York, I still have vivid memories of playing in my backyard mulling over this verse at the ripe old of age 7 or 8.  I had just heard a pastor speaking about this verse on the radio.  At that time, I took it to mean that if I didn’t want to die, I was going to die.  It stirred in me a fear of death and an unhealthy fear of things related to God.  After all, who wants to die at 7? 

I was recently reading through Matthew during my study time and came across these verses once again and I had to smile. What God is calling me to do is far greater than just to die for Him, He is calling me to live for Him.

To follow Jesus, we must die to ourselves, our agendas, our plans, our desires.  Basically, we must die to us.  We die to ourselves every time to choose God’s will over our own.

      My will is to indulge myself…God’s will is to deny myself.
      My will is to make myself look good…God’s will is that I reflect Him.
      My will is to be proud….God’s will is for me to be humble.
      My will is to defend myself…God’s will is for me to seek forgiveness.
      My will is to bear offenses…God’s will is for me to grant forgiveness.
      My will is to give back what I get…God’s will is for me to return good for evil.
      My will is to be heard…God’s will is that I am sometimes silent.
      My will is to speak my version of truth…God’s will is that I speak the truth in love.
      My will is to hurry up…God’s will is that I learn patience.
      My will is to think I am “all that”…God’s will is that I think more highly of others.
      My will is to think it’s all about me…God’s will is that it is all about Him.
      My will is to stay out of others’ business…God’s will is that I bear others’ burdens.
      My will is to seek supporters…God’s will is that I seek unity.
      My will is to love self…God’s will is that I love others.

I could go on and on.  Bottom line – I must die to my will and choose God’s will.  When I lay down my life, my will in exchange for God’s life, God’s will, I will be more alive than ever. 

Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the ministry team at America’s Keswick.  She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study.  Diane has been married to her husband John over 27 years.  She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all.  She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.