The Believer’s Disclaimer II
Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me (Luke.9.23).
The Believer doesn’t only deny his citizenship of this world, he is required to deny himself. By that, he let’s go of his ambition to make himself what he thinks he is best suited for. It is about the most difficult thing to do, that is, give up your right to self ownership. It is the giving up of the driver’s seat in your own life to allow someone else (God) lead you unapologetically.
The believer doesn’t just proclaim, “this world is not my own, I’m just a passerby”, he also proclaims, “this life is not my own, I’m just holding it in trust.” It is easier said than done because once that declaration is made, the reality of not having your own way in everything becomes clear. It is then agitations begin. You want what you want when you want it but the person in the driver’s seat in your life (God) wants something else.
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Gal. 2:20).
The Joy of this life is not the resignation to fate but the trusting of Christ as a faithful driver, that not only knows the way to all I desire to become but how to live my life to please God. Therein lies the faith we proclaim in God through Christ. Your life is not your own!