Spiritual Dieting

In the book of John, a conversation is recorded between John the Baptist and his disciples.  Jesus has just begun his public ministry and John's disciples are basically struggling with jealousy.  The crowds that previously were being baptized by John are now going over and listening to Jesus and being baptized by Jesus.  John responds to his disciples with this quote:

He must increase, I must decrease.

Less of me, more of Jesus.
This is, in a short and simple phrase, the heart of discipleship.  Paul says it a little differently when he talks about dying to self and living or Christ.  In the book of Luke, Jesus gets at the same idea when he says, "Deny yourself and take up your cross daily."

Less of me, more of Jesus.
How often do you approach your relationship with Jesus this way?  How often do we invite God to shine a spotlight into our hearts and reveal the tendencies, the habits, the attitudes, the behaviors that need to decrease?

But here's the thing.  This is NOT just about trying to stop doing things.  It's about Jesus INCREASING in me.  It's about a more fruitful life.  It's about more peace, more joy, more purpose.  It's about an ever increasing awareness of God's presence and God's plans for me.

The bottom line is that until we decrease (until we get out of the way), there isn't room in our lives for more of Jesus.  So I decrease, in order that Christ may increase.

Today, I challenge you to ask God what it might look like for you to clear a little space (loose a little "weight") so that there is a little more room for Christ in you.