Giving up things for God is easy. Giving up self is hard. The disciples gave up everything but it was only after the death on the Cross that they despaired of everything and gave up themselves. Despair is a good thing if it leads to giving up oneself. Despair is the state of utter helplessness when only God can rescue you. When you despair of yourself, you can hear God more clearly. When all other voices have died because the self no longer relies on them, then God can come through. The self keeps listening to these other voices because they support the egoic self. When the self is given up, then there is no internal agent to support these other voices. God’s voice then comes through clearly. This is the key to a closer walk with God. In unison, you will hear His voice and then you will desire to hear no other voice but His voice. Self is dead to the world and the things of the world. All those things that attracted you at one time don’t have sway over you anymore. You are dead in Christ. The life you now live, by faith in the Son of God, who loves you and gave His life up for you. This is abundant living in the Son. This is the road to heaven
I worked as a Consultant Psychiatrist in UK and Australia for over 40 years.