I guess my lifelong battle with overeating has governed my understanding of what it means to "deny myself". However, the more I think about the context of that verse the more I realize it has a much deeper meaning particularly if I put it together with Jesus' "New commandment".
"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24 "A new commandment I give you; that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34
The thing that made the commandment new wasn't that He said to love others but to love them in the same way He had loved. That kind of love involves self denial and a cross. Following Jesus' kind of love means making myself nothing taking the very nature of a servant and humbling myself to the point of death for another person. Not just physical death but the death of my plans, dreams and goals.
The reason I have trouble with over eating is that I don't want to deny myself. I see the evidence of this when I look in the mirror. My family is another mirror, in it I see how often I selfishly put my agenda before anyone else.
Jesus said if I follow His new commandment people would know I was His disciple. I understand that because there is no other way I could love like that unless I did it in the power of His Spirit. If I walk in His Spirit the fruit will be," love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness" and last but not least "self-control"Galatians 5:22,23
"Dear Lord Jesus, I want to follow you. I want to represent You well. I want to love."
This was a wonderful reminder for me. Thank you. I miss you dear friend :)
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