Dying to Self
By Karen D’Amore
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.”
Luke 9:23-24
By Karen D’Amore
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.”
Luke 9:23-24
Dying to self…a crucified life…every attitude, desire, decision and circumstance filtered through the cross. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). As Christ-followers, it is our choice to “die to self,” allowing His life to flow through us. We must value God above ALL else; placing His hands in front of everything. Self-centeredness diminishes, as our lives increase in God-centeredness. And as we obediently follow Christ, that crucified life glorifies Him. With our cross on our back, we experience His voice, presence, power and love, as never before.
“When you are forgotten, neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don’t sting or hurt with the oversight, but your heart is happy being counted to suffer for Christ, that is……Dying to self.
When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinion ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence, that is……Dying to self.
When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, and any annoyance; when you can stand face-to-face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus did, that is……Dying to self.
When you are content with any food, and offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God, that is……Dying to self.
When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or record your own good works or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown, that is……Dying to self.
When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy, nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and you are in desperate circumstances, that is……Dying to self.
When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than you and can humbly submit, inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart, that is……Dying to self.”
--Anonymous (1)
Daily we must choose to “take up our cross.’’ As we begin each day, let us examine our heart and ask…Am I dead yet?
GOING DEEPER:
1. What things in your life are hindering you from 100% surrender?
2. What selfish behaviors, attitudes or desires need to be nailed to the cross?
FURTHER READING:
Psalm 116:15; John 3:30, 12:24-26
(1)Poem taken from CBN.com
Married to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon. She’s a leader for Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study and a volunteer at the Wildlife In Need Center.
Married to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon. She’s a leader for Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study and a volunteer at the Wildlife In Need Center.
