We grow in this imitation. Our desire to be with Jesus transforms our lives. There is no desire to rebel from God completely. The love we feel in our hearts casts out a great degree of our selfish desires. With our eyes fixed on Jesus, it is very unlikely that we will give in to serious sin.
Love eventually transforms the heart even more.
In time, we take on the desires of the other. Not only does selfish rebellion recede from my life, but a variety of things I had naturally preferred become less important. Before growing in such a love for Jesus, and a desire to be with him in his mission, I would have said that, given the choice, I'd prefer to be rich rather than poor, to be honored rather than dishonored, to want a long life rather than a short one. In these options, and in hundreds more in my life, what is best for me would have been the focus and criteria for my choice. Now that is changing.