At some point Jesus told us to deny ourselves. In fact, I think he may have said the actual words “Deny yourself.” There’s more to what he said than just that, but I want to focus on this concept of denying ourselves.

Jesus was speaking metaphysically, of course, and Christians have been trying to interpret it ever since. For some people, they view this in a sort of “make my life miserable by giving up everything I love” way, for others, they think of it as a “sacrifice for God” way. The reality is that, as we grow from childhood to adulthood, we get more and more attached to our egos.

Accomplishment, competition, success… these become the hallmarks of our egos. We become defined more by what others think of us than by who we really are. God has blessed each one of us with unique gifts that serve us in our life. Our egos can twist those gifts to become self-serving. That which defines us and is meant to bring about the greater good for the world becomes something which serves only ourselves.

And, yet, Jesus challenged us to give up our egos–to deny our ego–in order to live a life that uses our gifts and talents for the world. And if we live our lives according to this principle, then Jesus promises us a life that is easy to live. “My yoke is easy and my burden is light,” he tells us. Life is meant to be filled with joy and ease.

It seems that the process of giving up our egos allows us to live the life we are meant to live. We are literally born in God’s love and God intends for us to spend our lives within that love. If we live with purpose instead of with ambition, our lives are in harmony with the universe. We no longer live in opposition to the universe.

The ego is in opposition to the universe. It says “I’m more important than my purpose. I can live through sheer will. I am more important, better, or more blessed than other people.” The reality is that God has not blessed you with more than anyone else.

You are called to greatness; you are called to live in God’s love and to fulfill your life with purpose. Life is not about the destination. Life is about the journey. Ultimately, life is about no more than today. For today is all you are given, and your ego only gets in the way. Your ego worries about how your needs will be met, what others will think of you, and how successful you will be. Your ego is worried about “things” and “perceptions”. When you deny your ego, you live in the present reality.