Jesus tells us in Luke 9:23 that "if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." As followers of Christ there is a daily denial of self and a daily commitment to carry our cross. What does that mean? It is more than saying some particular frustration is "my cross to bear." It is more than just having a time of prayer and bible reading. It is a yielding of our wills to His will. It is a readiness to stand up for Christ and even to suffer for Him. It is a willingness to go against the crowd and do what is right - every day, in every situation. It is a prerequisite for following Jesus.