This passage quoted here in a friend’s blog is one of my favorites! I had lost track of it and am thrilled to have found it again. What a great reminder of what it looks like to die to ourselves and live to Christ. I am again encouraged to remember that life is not all about me. How quickly I forget. 🙂
I tried to “reblog” it, but for some reason it stalled so I resorted to the good old fashioned copy and paste. 🙂 Thank you In His Love, for posting!
When you are not forgiven, or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you sting and hurt with the insult and the oversight, but your heart is happy because you count it worthy to suffer for Christ: that is self-denial.
When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice is disregarded, your opinions are ridiculed, you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, you take it all in patient, loving silence: that is dying to self.
When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, or any annoyance, when you can stand face to face with waste and folly and extravagance and spiritual insensitivity, and endure it as Jesus endured it: that is dying to self.
When you’re content with any food, any offering, any clothes, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God: that is dying to self.
When you can never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good works, or itch after commendation, when you can love to be unknown: that is dying to self.
When you see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy, nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and unmet: that is dying to self.
When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, and humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising in your heart: that is dying to self.
If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?
– Luke 9:23-25 –
