August 10

Self-Denial

Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. — Matt 16:24 BSB

Many people misunderstand what true self-denial is, and it often leads to a kind of farcical display. Some people think that denying themselves meat on Fridays and eating fish instead is a noble act of self-denial. Others give up certain pleasures during Lent and take pride in what they see as great sacrifice. Some make themselves miserable in various ways, imagining that God is pleased when they suffer. But none of these things are true self-denial. There’s no virtue in giving something up, enduring loss or pain, or making sacrifices just for the sake of suffering.

True self-denial means renouncing self and surrendering the whole of one’s life to Christ’s will. It means stepping down from the throne of our own lives, laying our crowns at Christ’s feet, and submitting entirely to His lordship. It means living not to please ourselves or promote our own interests but to serve our Lord and do His work. True self-denial involves giving up anything that displeases God and making any sacrifice that loyalty to Him requires. It means setting aside personal comfort for the sake of others, if that’s what following Christ’s example calls for. The essential element is that self is no longer the driving force—Christ is.

Nothing done simply for the sake of self-denial is true self-denial. Like all traits of Christlikeness, real self-denial is unconscious of itself. It doesn’t even realize that its face shines. We practice self-denial when we follow Christ joyfully and willingly, even through difficulty, sacrifice, and danger, trusting Him as He leads us.