Deny…Die…Follow

Mark 8:34-36 (NLT)
 
Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?”
 

Reflection:
 
I read a meme recently that spoke to me on a different level:
 
“Welcome to middle age. No one tells you that rigor mortis starts while you’re still alive.”
 
Can you relate? Why doesn’t anyone tell you that your body will start rejecting things once you turn 40? Foods I love now make me extremely ill; jumping on the trampoline gives me motion sickness; I have to sit on the side of the bed for a few seconds before I can stand up; and my energy seems to have escaped me. Aging is something that’s guaranteed to happen, and yet we somehow don’t think certain parts of it will happen to us.
 
What I have found is that the food I eat highly impacts all of this. For example, I crave something sweet and am dying to try the new ice cream place. I justify giving in to the craving because, what could it hurt? And then my body reminds me that we are no longer friends with dairy and sugar causes inflammation. My problem is that I have trained myself to eat what I desire, even though satisfying the craving only lasts temporarily. I have had to change the way I look at the food I eat so that I can physically function the way I want. There are many diet plans out there that promise fast results, such as weight loss, muscle building, flexibility, and mental wellness, but many plans are not sustainable for a lifestyle change. What I need to do is deny my desires, allow the old diet to live in the past, and follow the new diet that will bring me better results.
 
Jesus wants us to see the life He has to offer us in the same way. The health of our soul is important enough to sacrifice the things that will only bring temporary satisfaction. Merriam-Webster defines the words from today’s devotion title as follows:
 
● deny (verb)
1. state that one refuses to admit the truth or existence of.
2. refuse to give or grant (something requested or desired) to (someone)
 
● die (verb)
1. (of a person, animal, or plant) stop living.
2. used to emphasize that one wants to do or have something very much.
 
● follow (verb)
1. go or come after (a person or thing proceeding ahead); move or travel behind.
2. come after in time or order.
 
I desire to be the healthiest version of myself, not just with diet but in every area of my life. In order to do this, I need to follow the plan that Jesus has set before me, one that challenges my current lifestyle. The quality of life that I experience is fully reliant on what I choose to follow. If I follow my own desires, I will miss out on the best that God has for me.
 
 
Action Steps:
 
1. “Deny” means to refuse something. What is an area of your life that God is challenging you to deny?
 
2. When something “dies,” it stops living. What do you need to stop doing so you can desire more of Jesus?
 
3. To “follow” something means we seek after it. Spend some time asking the Holy Spirit to show you how you can better follow Him.
 

Prayer:
 
Jesus, I want my desire for You to overpower all other desires I face here on earth. Help me to grow in my faith. Only with You can I be the healthiest version of myself and be prepared for spending eternity in heaven. Amen.