And it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
(Galatians 2:20 NRSV)
The only path to true success comes when we daily take up the cross of Jesus Christ. Even a self-centered generation knows that self-denial is the path to success. But listen. There is a catch. Self-denial will not bring us fulfillment if we only live for ourselves. We may say, "I am not doing this for my husband or my wife. I'm not doing this for my children. I am doing it for me." Fine. That may help you stay on your diet. That may help you keep up your studies. But it will not bring you ultimate fulfillment. Ultimate fulfillment comes only when we say, "I'm doing this for God and God's people." I heard once that our will and God's will is like this, "Imagine a person carrying two buckets, one of them filled with oil and one filled with water. Now they are completely filled so that you cannot pour the oil from its bucket into the water bucket because there is no room and besides oil and water don't mix.

Now imagine that one of these buckets is you and your will and your purpose and your plan for your life and the other is God's will and plan and purpose for your life. Before you can know God's will and plan and purpose for your life you're going to have to empty your bucket to receive what God has to give. Now whom do you trust the most to know where real purpose and joy, satisfaction, and peace lie with you, or with the heart of God?"

The key to truly successful living is to deny ourselves in order that God may fill us to overflowing with God's presence and power. As Paul said in Galatians 2:20, "and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." There is the path to real success. If we who are followers of Jesus would learn that one simple truth, we could turn this world upside down.

Dear God, fill me with the saving power of Jesus Christ, as I pick up his cross of salvation everyday. In Jesus name, Amen.

Ron Newhouse

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