Day 26 - Grace Lee
Is there a specific Bible passage or verse that comes to mind in the context of “Less of Me and More of Him”?
Luke 9:23 “And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.“
In this passage, Jesus tells His disciples that denying yourself and following Him is not a decision you make once and you’re set for the rest of your life, but it’s something you have to choose to do every single day. We’re called to deny ourselves and choose Jesus over and over, even after we make the decision to accept Him as our Lord and Savior. I’ve learned over the years that this is way easier said than done. I used to get really discouraged when I would reflect on my life as a Christian and see how weak and sinful I was. Completely changing the way I think, speak, feel, and act to be led by the Holy Spirit proved to be much harder than I thought. However, little by little, I see how I am still being changed and sanctified. Though far from perfect, I choose to die to myself, a little more everyday, especially during this Lent season, and most importantly, to consciously and boldly choose Jesus everyday.
Briefly explain which areas of your life you find most difficult to surrender to Christ.
I’ve always found it difficult, almost impossible, to let go of my worries and anxiety. I’m naturally wired to always think ahead and sometimes think of the worst possible outcome in order to protect myself from getting too hurt or being caught off guard and having no solution. As a mom to a very active toddler, I find that everyday is a constant battle with anxious thoughts, whether it’s about my son potentially falling and getting hurt, worries about what the future holds for our family, or even my ability to parent our son in a way that honors God.
Share the areas of your life that have shifted from self-centeredness to Christ-centered
I have been trying to discipline myself to recognize and challenge negative, anxious thoughts as they occur throughout the day. Instead of allowing myself to be consumed by those feelings, I am learning how to surrender and give them to God right then and there. I want to live in a way that shows that I wholeheartedly trust in God and that my anxiety does not define who I am because I am a child of God.
What are some practical ways you can display Christ to those around you?
Truthfully, I’m sure many would agree that it’s easy to act like you have everything down in front of others. I think the real challenge, at least for me in this current season of life, is showing Christ in my home even in the mundane or difficult moments. My goal is to live and lead in such a way at home that my family knows that all of my hope and trust is in God alone.