WEEK 4 DAY 3
The Cross TO Us
Devotional
The cross doesn't just work for us—it works to us. After we receive what Christ has done on our behalf, we're invited into a process of transformation where the pattern of the cross becomes our own.
Jesus was remarkably clear: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." The cross isn't just something Jesus carried—it's something we're called to carry too. Not as payment for sin (Jesus accomplished that completely), but as the pathway to becoming like Him.
This daily crucifixion involves dying to our self-centeredness, our need for control, our desire for comfort, and our demand for recognition. It means saying "no" to ourselves so we can say "yes" to Christ and others.
Paradoxically, this death-to-self is the doorway to true freedom. When we're no longer enslaved to our ego, driven by others' approval, or controlled by our fears, we discover a lightness of being that can only be described as liberation. The things we thought would fulfill us—comfort, control, recognition—actually become heavy burdens when pursued as ultimate aims.
Today, consider what needs to die in you so Christ can live more fully through you. What self-protective instinct, what comfort-seeking behavior, what approval-craving habit is holding you back from the freedom Jesus offers?
Bible Verse
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." - 1 Corinthians 1:18
Reflection Question
What specific aspect of your self-life (pride, fear, comfort-seeking, need for control, etc.) is God inviting you to surrender to Him today, and what first step could you take in that direction?
Quote
The best thing that could ever happen to you is that you would lose yourself and die to yourself. This is the most freeing, liberating thing that could ever happen in your entire life.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I confess how tightly I cling to my own way, my comfort, and my control. Thank You for showing me that true freedom comes through surrender, not self-protection. Give me courage today to take up my cross—to die to self so that Your life can flow more freely through me. Make me less so You can become more. Amen.
The cross doesn't just work for us—it works to us. After we receive what Christ has done on our behalf, we're invited into a process of transformation where the pattern of the cross becomes our own.
Jesus was remarkably clear: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." The cross isn't just something Jesus carried—it's something we're called to carry too. Not as payment for sin (Jesus accomplished that completely), but as the pathway to becoming like Him.
This daily crucifixion involves dying to our self-centeredness, our need for control, our desire for comfort, and our demand for recognition. It means saying "no" to ourselves so we can say "yes" to Christ and others.
Paradoxically, this death-to-self is the doorway to true freedom. When we're no longer enslaved to our ego, driven by others' approval, or controlled by our fears, we discover a lightness of being that can only be described as liberation. The things we thought would fulfill us—comfort, control, recognition—actually become heavy burdens when pursued as ultimate aims.
Today, consider what needs to die in you so Christ can live more fully through you. What self-protective instinct, what comfort-seeking behavior, what approval-craving habit is holding you back from the freedom Jesus offers?
Bible Verse
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." - 1 Corinthians 1:18
Reflection Question
What specific aspect of your self-life (pride, fear, comfort-seeking, need for control, etc.) is God inviting you to surrender to Him today, and what first step could you take in that direction?
Quote
The best thing that could ever happen to you is that you would lose yourself and die to yourself. This is the most freeing, liberating thing that could ever happen in your entire life.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I confess how tightly I cling to my own way, my comfort, and my control. Thank You for showing me that true freedom comes through surrender, not self-protection. Give me courage today to take up my cross—to die to self so that Your life can flow more freely through me. Make me less so You can become more. Amen.