If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
Take up my cross daily – The cross means death and a burden.
The burden we are called to carry however, is light and easy (Matthew 11:29-30), and we need to pick up that yoke daily from the feet of Jesus. This means daily communion with Him in prayer and listening and then obeying as the Spirit leads.
Taking my cross daily is therefore not a morbidly self-absorbed, burdensome and lonely activity. It is an easy and light activity along with Christ who bears the yoke with me.
I found this liberating.