DENYING MYSELF BY KEEPING MY EYES FOCUSED ON GOD

This week, I am exploring what God says about setting my mind on things above.  As I enter prayer now, I reflect on God’s instruction: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” 

Lord, I desire to focus on You.  Allow my mind 

to be transformed by the reading of Your Word. 

Let me consider the Word of God from Philippians 2:1-4: 

Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 

When I am united with Christ, He lives in me, and I live for Him.  I want to be like-minded with Him and those who love Him, being one in spirit and of one mind. 

There are a few things which get in the way of this pursuit.  Selfish ambition tells me to value my goals above God’s goals for me.  If I pursue my goals with selfish ambition, I will likely fall into a life without worth or purpose. 

Vain conceit tells me to value myself above others.  If I pursue this path, I will find myself reaping what I have sown, a lonely existence. 

Lord, allow me to exalt You in every facet  

of my life and with every fiber of my being.   

I want what You want for my life. 

Encouragement fills me when I am united with Christ, and my joy becomes complete.  The gift of humility guides me not to forget my interests, but to look to the interests of others.  When I do, I find that either my interests have changed, or God has used the interests of others to show me what His interests are for me. 

By pursuing the interests of others in humility, I wrap myself in the comfort of His love and enjoy the common sharing of the Spirit. 

Lord, may I experience true humility as You fill me with the gift of humility, encourage me in Yourself,  

and comfort me with Your love.  

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.