What does it mean when people will seek to save their life?

Will it be like Lot's wife? Will it be when people take the mark of the beast?

Mark 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

What does it mean to lose our life for Jesus' sake and the gospel's?

Is that only referring to missionaries go to the far places of the earth?

Or is it also only referring to martyrs killed for Jesus' name?

But what about living martyrs?

Wasn't the word once used to mean witness?

So, can a living martyr be one who loses whatever life they have or planned, to die to self and the world, and live the rest of their life as a witness?

Perhaps they, too, may end up being killed for being a witness for Jesus?

Like Fay has pointed out a number of times, Christians in muslim and communist countries are experiencing this.

But are not so many of us in the west are rather living our days like the rich man in Luke 16?

Everyone I know can explain what they believe that the following means:

Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

But how many of us, including myself, have been able to do this?

No doubt it is impossible to do, on our own, without the Holy Ghost.

What would be a good first step?

Repent, surrender, and plead for help?