It’s Hard to Say Goodbye to a Life of Self-Focus

Daily writing promptDescribe a phase in life that was difficult to say goodbye to.View all responses

Although self-focus is painful, it’s popular. Instead of being a phase of life that most people eventually outgrow, it has become the definition of life in our Western, materialistic worldview. It has become a life-consuming, life-long obsession. However, our Western culture continues to demonstrate that self-focus isn’t good for our mental health.

Personally, I was never very happy when I was focused on myself. My happiness has come from self-abandonment. Jesus Christ put it this way: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me.” That kind of self-abandonment and total surrender to King Jesus, to His will, and to His kingdom has brought me amazing peace and happiness. (Google: The Joy of Early Christianity.)

As Jesus bled and died on the Cross, He demonstrated and testified of God’s love for the world by laying down His life and completely surrendering His spirit to God. The early Christians fully committed their spirit (their innermost being) to Jesus as their King, Lord, and example. Then they overcame the devil “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” (Revelation 12:11)

The King of Kings and Lord of Lord now wants to manifest and demonstrate His kingdom by living inside of His true followers and by directing, leading, and guiding them from within. Into His hands will you exclusively surrender your spirit — the depths of your being — to follow and obey “Christ in you,” as your only King and Lord?

The kingdom (inner government) of God isn’t about dead people. It consists of people who are eternally alive and whose first priority is seeking, serving and obeying King Jesus. When a group of people is entirely submitted to King Jesus and actively allowing His Spirit to lead them, there is amazing order and unity in their midst.

The kingdom of God is not about the country you live in. It’s about letting Christ live in, direct, and control you as your King and absolute Master.

Ask not what the kingdom of God can do for you. Ask how you can fully surrender to and obey the risen King Jesus. If King Jesus doesn’t have your full allegiance and obedience, you are working against His kingdom.

The government of the kingdom of God is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” King Jesus has a personal relationship and direct communication with all of His subjects, so He has no need for a hierarchy. The kingdom of God is an absolute monarchy. It has no voting and no parliament. King Jesus is the sovereign Lord. To disobey Him and refuse to be led by His Spirit is to reject God’s kingdom.

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