[Teisha Nolen]

In today’s world we enjoy freedoms that weren’t always available in the time of John the Baptist. Though not completely free from religious persecution, in our world losing your physical life for your faith isn’t as common. That doesn’t mean that we can’t glean anything from the lesson. In Matthew 16:25 we read “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25, NIV). Laying down your life for the Lord can mean the physical ending of life, but it can also be more symbolic. Though I may not lay down my actual life each day, I can lay down my will, my desires, my actions in favor of the will of God, the desires of God and the actions I am led by God to take. By “losing” my life in this way, I find my life in the will of God and in HIS strength I am led to accomplish his purpose for me.

Holy Bible, New internation Version https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2016%3A25&version=NIV