Uploaded June 2022 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
We have a paradoxical relationship with self denial. If we are training for a triathlon, then self denial is our way to "flex", as we let everyone know how we don't sleep in, how we watch our diet, and how we get out of bed and do laps even if our body is screaming "No!". If we're studying for an exam, the goal of excellence means we deny ourselves that evening out with our friends.
But on the other hand, we're being told that unless we express ourselves truly and do what feels right to us, we are not being our most authentic selves. Which is it? And who gets to decide?
Jesus Christ had a lot to say about self denial - that much is a given - but never without the promise of greater fulfilment. What does self denial look like in the age of self expression?
We have a paradoxical relationship with self denial. If we are training for a triathlon, then self denial is our way to "flex", as we let everyone know how we don't sleep in, how we watch our diet, and how we get out of bed and do laps even if our body is screaming "No!". If we're studying for an exam, the goal of excellence means we deny ourselves that evening out with our friends.
But on the other hand, we're being told that unless we express ourselves truly and do what feels right to us, we are not being our most authentic selves. Which is it? And who gets to decide?
Jesus Christ had a lot to say about self denial - that much is a given - but never without the promise of greater fulfilment. What does self denial look like in the age of self expression?
