Christian discipleship—joyful, freeing

Recently, I received a letter from a woman who was suddenly able to walk freely again after being unable to do so for several months. It happened when her thought shifted from a burdensome sense of self-concern to the joy of selflessly yielding to the redeeming and healing power of God, universal Truth and Love. It reminded me of words from a song I love on a CD called Gracenotes:

When thought of self flew out the door,
There entered in its place
A freedom never known before,
And peace, and love, and grace.
(Lyrics by Phyllis Gilbert, Newsong Group)  

Christ Jesus spoke of needing to deny ourselves in order to follow in his footsteps (see Luke 9:23). Denying a perception of ourselves as material, and accepting instead our true identity as God’s spiritual image and likeness, is joyful and freeing. This humble stance subordinates us to God, divine Love, and enables us to prove God’s supreme power and authority over sin, disease, and death, which Jesus showed us how to do. We grow spiritually in our ability to do this as we put it into daily practice.