The ordinary thought of self-denial, whether among saints or the people of the world, is giving
up. There may be great diversity of thought as to what is to be given up. Some would limit it to
certain characteristically worldly things_card-playing, dancing, the theater, etc. Others would
confine it to a certain season during which time pleasures freely indulged in the remainder of the
year are rigidly shunned.

Others who see much more than this still look upon self-denial as a matter of details. This, that,
and the other is to be given up, as pleasing to the natural man. Nor is it possible that such an
interpretation should not tend to foster spiritual pride; for does not one deserve credit for
relinquishing so much?

But is this the thought of the passage, "Let him deny (or refuse) himself" (Luke 9:23)? Self is to
be refused, to be given up. A man may give up anything, and well-nigh everything, but so long
as he holds fast to himself he has not learned the first elements of self-denial. "I am crucified with
Christ," says the apostle. Did he mean that he was doing this or that distasteful thing, and so
practicing self-denial? Ah no! Paul himself was denied; he was done with himself, and now it was
Christ who lived in him. Can we think of Paul as occupied with a multiplicity of questions as to
whether he had to give up one thing and another? The cross settled all that for him. There was an
end to himself, as well as an end to the world, so far as he was concerned. And with this went the
entire mass of questions that monasticism has tried in vain to settle.

(From Help and Food, Vol. 18.)