What it really means to ‘Die to yourself’

By Daniel Francis

I have been having many conversations with friends about 2026, which makes sense as we have only just entered the new year. At the beginning of a new year, it is normal to think about what you want to do differently. You examine the previous year: the highs and the lows. You think about what you can do differently this year. While speaking to a friend, they mentioned that this year, they would “Protect their peace at all costs”. This got me thinking.

I had a season where I was adamant on protecting my peace. In our present-day culture, the phrase ‘protecting your peace’ is a popular expression. When I had my season of protecting my peace, it looked like separating myself from any element that created negative feelings and environments. Yet, while listening to my friend talk and being reminded of my similar experience, I realised we both missed something.

As if planted, the phrase ‘Die to yourself’ popped into my head. I felt this was God sending a message because the phrase continued to echo in my brain for days after the encounter with my friend, so I know there was some great significance in these words.

So, I did what I usually do and began exploring further. As usual, God was sending a signal to what was missing in our interpretation of what we should be doing. From my research, dying to yourself comes directly from Christ, though it seems it was not said exactly as it has been popularised, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Lk 9:23).

It is a call to do intrinsic work and grow closer to God. When in doubt, the goal is always to grow closer to God.

Intrinsic work looks like dying to the ego, the disordered will, and the false self, so that Christ can live in us. We must let go of what is weighing us down so that we can make room for God. To die to yourself means:

• Dying to pride
• Dying to selfish desires
• Dying to control
• Dying to sin

My friend and I immediately positioned protecting our peace to mean separation from external negative factors, yet we forgot about the internal negative factors that are equally, if not more, detrimental.

We all have this tension within. A battle between our will (often driven by fear, ego, appetite, or comfort) versus God’s will (which leads to freedom, love, and truth).

To die to ourselves is to let God’s will win. “Not my will, but Yours be done,” (Lk 22:42). So, the opponent in this case is us. We are fighting against what God has planned for us because of our internal presuppositions of what we believe we deserve and should be doing. We truly protect our peace by dying to ourselves and accepting the will of God.

It is always interesting to me as I write these articles every week that our journey as Catholics always comes down to the pursuit of God. Once we are positioning our minds, hearts, souls, and behaviour to the pursuit of God, we are on the right track. So yes, protect your peace but know that it truly means dying to yourself; it all means becoming who you were created to be in Christ.

Daniel Francis, author of The Millennial Mind, The Millennial Experience, and How to Write and Self-Publish Your Book, is an entrepreneur passionate about leadership and storytelling. As a leadership development coach at Rebit Limited, he has spent the last four years equipping individuals to thrive personally and professionally. He also leads One Momentum Publishing, a hybrid publishing company through which he has guided hundreds of authors on their journey from idea to published book.

LinkedIn: Daniel Francis

IG: o.m.publishing

Website: www.ompublishing.org

Email: info@ompublishing.org