A Prayer of Denial

God, I see that in becoming like Jesus, I have to lose more of me, and eventually lose all of me, because only then will I discover the real life You have for me. I know that letting go of me and living for You is better, so much better. It’s just hard. I’m comfortable with me. I’m selfish. I want what I want. I am demanding. I act entitled so easily. I twist motives so I seem really ambitious instead of conceited. My whole day can revolve around my wants, and then I’ll pretend that it didn’t so it looks like I denied myself. I am not comfortable in denial.
In my honest moments, though, I know it’s better, so I have big hopes for letting go of myself with this prayer. I need You. Will you unravel my layers of selfishness? Will you re-align my deepest motives? Will you empower me to say yes and no to the right things? You say that I can deny myself because Your Holy Spirit lives in me. He’s powerful. I believe You. I say yes to following Jesus, so I say yes to dying to myself.
Please God, may the entitled, wanting, comfortable, demanding, self-absorbed me, become less and less so I am eventually completely lost in You.
AMEN.