The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

—Matthew 16:25

We often look at the first part of this verse and think how hard it is. Rarely do we look at the second part of the verse and rejoice. We’re so focused on the difficulty of dying to self, we forget about the joy of what we’re guaranteed in its place.

When we’re still encumbered with trying to “save our lives” on this earth, we’re beset with all sorts of concerns, desires, and anxieties.

Can I do it?

Will it work out?

This isn’t fair!

Needing this life to fit our expectations straps us to the circumstances around us. We’re dependent upon them meeting our desires and fulfilling our expectations. And if they’re not what we want or think they should be, we drift into anger, anxiety, bitterness, or disappointment. We’re at the whims of this uncertain world.

But when we’re willing to lose our lives for Christ’s sake, our ability to be full of love, joy, hope, and all the other fruits of the Spirit is no longer dependent on the ever–changing conditions and situations we find ourselves in.

When we can’t succeed, when things aren’t fair, and when things don’t work out, we can still go on with hope. We are free from our wants and expectations. 

When we give up our lives intentionally for Christ’s sake, we cannot be shaken. We become fixed on the only unchanging, sure foundation, so when the world around us crumbles, we don’t fall apart with it.

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