Getting Started: Kenosis

Journaling has always been an important component of my growth as a follower of Jesus, but it has been inconsistent lately. I woke up this morning with a conviction that I needed some fresh water in my journaling and sensed that blogging could be just that.

An important season of my story came in high school and early college as the Spirit was transforming me and teaching me about my identity in Christ. During that season, I had two close friends and a pastor confront me about my pride. Interestingly, they were not speaking of arrogance (as many would associate pride) but a constant inward bent in me toward myself. In a real sense, I erected an altar at that point and began a journey toward humility through the Spirit. At the prompting of one of my friends and mentors (also a pastor), I memorized Philippians 2:1-11, which has become my quest.

I discovered that my paralyzing insecurity was just another form of pride and that continuing to live that way was willingly choosing pride over humility. As James said it, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (4:6). As Paul describes it in Philippians 2:7, Jesus' attitude (or "mind") involved a constant "self-emptying" in order to be fully present to God in loving obedience (obedient love). This "emptying" of self or "making self nothing" that Paul is referring to was the uncommon Greek word "kenosis."

In the gospels, Jesus makes it clear that anyone who desires to be His follower (disciple) must "deny self" daily, take up the cross, and follow Him (Mt 16:24; Luke 9:23). Because Jesus said that denying self is the daily pursuit of His follower and Paul described this self-emptying (kenosis) as the way Jesus lived (and what Paul was emulating), then kenosis is my daily pursuit.

Although I have been on this journey of kenosis for half of my life, I sense that I am only just beginning. Spirit of Jesus, please continue to change me deeply that I might bear Your fruit in my home and in this world (Jn 15; Gal 5).