However, in modern culture self-denial is a concept that we avoid; the mention of it makes us turn our heads and sink in our chairs. As we are all sinners, we know that this is something we all struggle with. Truthfully, it is not the easiest part of being a Christian.

I have always felt that denying myself, not only of sin but even of morally indifferent conveniences, was an effective way of building character. I would take the stairs when the escalator or elevator was more attractive and even more accessible, stand on subway cars when there were plenty of seats and refuse to use handicap doors even when they were open, just waiting for me to pass through. I thought that denying myself these small, seemingly insignificant conveniences would help me to keep my ego in check and prevent me from taking small blessings for granted. Though I still think these arguments are reason enough, it wasn’t until a friend of mine suggested offering these sacrifices up as prayers that I began to see how I could carry my cross daily through these minor decisions, as Jesus taught.

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me’ ” (Matthew 16:24).

Denying oneself of even the simplest things and minor conveniences can go a long way to change the mindset of how we look at difficulties and suffering. We need not look any further than our commute to work or school to find opportunities to carry our cross. While we are not going to be literal martyrs in our daily routines, we can always find ways to replace a bit of the self with a bit of Jesus.

Like free will, self-denial is only pure and true when it is voluntary. While a human cannot be forced to choose the good, neither can one be forced to deny themselves. Choosing the good or denying oneself when sin or desire are so easily accessible also helps us to deal with situations where we don’t have control. Choosing the hard road when the easy one is available is like practice for when we have no choice at all.

While the concept of self-denial often sparks visions of renouncing our possessions and becoming an ascetic, perhaps in the modern world these minor sacrifices are more practical ways of how we can humbly live in Jesus’ footsteps and “crucify the self,” at least on a small scale.

(Rinaldi, 18, will be attending Ryerson University in Toronto for journalism this fall.)