Daniel 1:8, NIV: But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

How hard would it be to resist the delicacies of a King's table? "Easy," some of us might assert, considering most of us do not have access to such things. But of that which we do have access to, what of it might we deny ourselves? Do we ever see the need to abstain from the bounties of life's little indulgences? The mindset of a follower of Christ should be ever growing toward one that would deny self, and take up our cross daily to follow Him (Luke 9:23). However, looking at ourselves in the culture in which we live, we seem to be gravitating toward the philosophy Solomon embraced at one time; wherein we withhold nothing from ourselves that might please us (Eccl. 2:10). Consider the ways we have defiled ourselves with the indulgences of the world. And we have done so. But God is able to enable us to discover true life and liberty in the pursuit of holiness rather than personal happiness.