When it comes to our relationship with Christ, and our daily walk with Him, figuring out what things are bad and not doing them (or at least trying) is not the hard part. Whether it be lying, cheating, murder, lust, envy, gluttony, etc we all have some sense of right and wrong, even as we engage in those things or seek to justify why, in our case, it is not as bad or somehow justified, or at least understandable. In other words, there are some choices and behaviors in life that, even without bringing God into it, it is easy to see how things are unlikely to turn out well for that person in the long run. 

Instead, the big challenge comes from letting go of things that seem perfectly good on the surface but may hold us back from pursuing something better or more meaningful. In this natural life we have immense freedom to engage and enjoy all sorts of good things. Having fun, making time to pursue your interests, working hard and enjoying the fruits of your labor, creating contexts in which you feel safe and comfortable…. none of these are inherently bad. But as our natural, default way of thinking and acting - they are inherently self-focused – and while they can result in a good life – there is a pathway to something much better if we are willing to think beyond the natural.

The natural life focuses on things like self-preservation, personal ambition, and the pursuit of happiness. Again, they are not necessarily bad but can become barriers to a deeper, more meaningful life. For instance, a healthy sense of self-preservation can keep us safe from physical harm, but if it gets extended to the avoidance of any risk of discomfort or hardship, then it makes it hard for us to let God lead us in faith to something we can’t see. Likewise, having goals to build things and use our talents and abilities to create new things is not a bad investment of our time and energy. Indeed, it can be an act of worship to the one who gave you all that talent and put you in a place to take full advantage of it. However, if we focus on building something primarily to stoke our ego or prove our worth to others, we miss the purpose of why we received those gifts in the first place. Finally, happiness is a wonderful experience, but if we prioritize temporary pleasures over lasting fulfillment, it is highly likely we will eventually have neither.

The natural life focuses on the self—what we want, need, and feel, but Jesus offers us something more. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus lays out a countercultural truth:
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

Denying yourself doesn’t mean rejecting your worth or identity. Instead, it means surrendering the part of you that insists on being in control. It’s about letting go of your plans and trusting God’s purpose. This surrender can feel hard because it’s counterintuitive. The world says, “Look out for yourself,” but Jesus says, “Give yourself away.” The world says, “Follow your heart,” but Scripture reminds us, “The heart is deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9). Freedom comes when we stop clinging to our own way and start aligning with God’s way. This doesn’t mean losing ourselves; it means finding our true selves in Him. As Jesus said, “Whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25).

Imagine a seed that refuses to be planted because it wants to remain intact. It might avoid the discomfort of being buried, but it will never grow into a tree. In the same way, when we surrender our independence and self-will, we create space for God to do something more significant in and through us then we could ever imagine or hope to achieve with own own efforts. Living your “best life” means surrendering your independence and self-will, choosing instead to align with something greater than yourself, even when it feels hard or counterintuitive.

Today is a great day to embrace the life in its fullness that Jesus offered in John 10:10.