“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 and the gospel’s will save it.”
— Mark 8:34-35

What does it mean to deny yourself? 

Most of us probably understand that this verse isn’t telling us to completely ignore every thought and emotion we have, but rather it’s a call to see beyond ourselves and focus on the God who created our thoughts and emotions in the first place. Jesus is asking us to take a deeper look at our lives and see what choices we are making and how they are impacting us and those around us. Denying, or “giving up” things for Lent is celebrated this time of year in our Christian culture and can be a helpful tool in our self-examination. Many of you may be participating in this time-honored tradition! I love it because it helps me to remove things that I crave and cling to in this life and remember that I was made to thirst and hunger for God above everything else.  

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” — Matthew 5:6

“I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain.” — Psalm 143:6

Returning to Mark 8, the Greek word used in this verse for “deny” means to claim no knowledge or relationship to, to disregard or reject. The idea here is self-denial, not self-condemnation or self-gratification. It is the disregarding of our own ways if they are not in line with God’s, always being ready to empty ourselves and be filled with God. It is a sense of freedom in your spirit to always be ready and available for whatever the Lord calls you to. Maybe it’s a simple conversation with people at work that He has pre-ordained, or it’s making a decision that doesn’t always make sense to us (or others). The notes in my ESV Study Bible describe “denial” this way: 

“Self-denial means letting go of self-determination and replacing it with obedience to, and dependence on the Messiah.” 

I love that.

What about the command to take up our cross? 

Jesus is inviting us into a new way of life. Taking up our cross is not a command to a sacred duty or a penalty for our sinfulness. It’s not a ‘prove yourself worthy’ test of some kind, or just a way to identify with Christ’s suffering. Ultimately, to take up our cross in the way God asks us to means choosing His way in any given circumstance, no matter what our preferences are, or whatever our feelings might be telling us. 

It is this type of self-denial that seems so foreign in our culture today. Instead, there is an overwhelming pressure to distinguish ourselves from everyone else…to be different and unique. To prove to everyone how special we are. This is backwards. It is really the definition of self-centeredness…and it is so easy to slip into. Our true ‘specialness’ can never come from this world or the people in it. The more we are able to know and remember our true, ever-loved and adored identity in God, the better we will be able to deny our selfishness and choose to follow Him every day. 

Perhaps then we could stop trying to be unique…and remember that we already are.

- Jessica Ritchie, Worship Leader