Love Yourself? Jesus Said Deny Yourself.

We're constantly told to love ourselves, choose ourselves, and put ourselves first. But Jesus said to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him. So does following Jesus mean we're supposed to hate ourselves? Not at all. In this Valiant Monday, Mark shares how putting himself on the throne nearly destroyed his marriage—and why there's a crucial difference between caring for yourself and living for yourself.

“Some of the worst decisions I've made in my life started with one thought: What about me?”

We live in a culture saturated with self-development advice: love yourself, choose yourself, become the person you want to be, and build the life you want.

Some of that advice can be genuinely helpful.

But what happens when caring for ourselves turns into living for ourselves?

In this episode of Valiant Monday, Mark opens a new series examining popular self-development ideas through the lens of Scripture. He begins with one of the biggest: love yourself.

Jesus' words sound very different:

“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” — Luke 9:23

Drawing from a season that nearly destroyed his marriage, Mark explores the difference between self-care and self-rule, why denying yourself doesn't mean hating yourself, and the question underneath it all:

Who's sitting on the throne of your life?

Scriptures discussed: Luke 9:23, Matthew 22:39, 2 Timothy 3

The Valiant Forge Podcast

Where God shapes ordinary men into faithful men.