Biblical Answer

The question of whether we can still have a sense of self in a relationship with God is a complex one. On one hand, Christian teaching emphasizes the importance of surrendering our self to God and allowing Him to be our all in all. This can be seen in the words of C.S. Lewis, who states that "until you have given up your self to Him you will not have a real self." On the other hand, our sense of self is closely tied to our individual identity and experiences, and surrendering our self to God may seem to require us to abandon these aspects of ourselves.

However, this is not necessarily the case. In fact, many Christian writers and teachers have argued that true selfhood can only be found in a relationship with God. As Lewis puts it, "if you are going to have a real self, you must be willing to reduce yourself down to simply me." This means being willing to strip away the external trappings of our identity, including what others think of us and what we think of ourselves, and instead finding our true self in God. This can be a difficult and humbling process, but it is one that can lead to a deeper sense of self and a more authentic relationship with God.

Ultimately, the question of whether we can still have a sense of self in a relationship with God is not a straightforward one. It requires us to grapple with complex ideas about identity, selfhood, and the nature of God. However, as Lewis suggests, it may be that the only way to truly find ourselves is to surrender our self to God and allow Him to be our all in all. This can be a challenging and counterintuitive idea, but it is one that has been explored by many Christian thinkers and writers throughout history. By considering this idea and exploring what it means to surrender our self to God, we may come to a deeper understanding of ourselves and our place in the world.