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

“The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” 

—Galatians 6:14

What does it mean for the world to be crucified to us?

It means that we no longer chase satisfaction in the here and now. We seek our fulfillment in pursuing the will of God (John 4:34). Though we still live here, we’re no longer taken in by the “worries of this world, and the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things” (Mark 4:19). The spiritual world becomes more real to us than the physical world (2 Corinthians 4:18). We know that worldly pleasures will not last and seek instead to build up eternal treasure (Matthew 6:19–21). 

We know our kingdom is not of this world, so we are not alarmed nor crushed when our earthly kingdoms crumble (John 18:36).

What does it mean for us to be crucified to the world?

We, like Christ, are willing to give ourselves up for the sake of others (Philippians 2:3). It is no longer our life, but his (Galatians 2:20). We are dead to sin (Romans 6:11), and now live for his glory and the sake of his kingdom.

“To live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21) frees us from the pressures of succeeding in any earthly goal. 

All earthly ends may be frustrated, but when we make living for Christ our goal, then the purpose of every ordinary life is secure in him—whether we are parenting or working or living with a chronic illness that keeps us from pursuing other things.

No matter what we achieve—or don’t—there’s no such thing as a wasted life spent seeking God. 

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