If I could summarize all that God has done in the past two years, it would be “dying to self.” Learning to put God’s desires over my own. Learning to put others before myself.
Below you’ll find a document I stumbled across back in college that is a great reminder to those wanting more of God and less of ourselves.
John 3:30
He must become greater; I must become less.
Dying to Self
When you are forgotten, neglected, or purposely ignored yet you do not sting with the insult or oversight but your heart is happy – being counted worthy to suffer for Christ…that is dying to self.
When your good is spoken evil of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed yet you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in loving, patient silence…that is dying to self.
When you loving and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any tardiness, or any annoyance. When you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility and endure it as the Savior endured…that is dying to self.
When you are content with any food, any offering, any clothing, any climate, any society, any solitude, or any interruption by God…that is dying to self.
When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, record your own good works, or seek recognition but 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 or question God while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances…that is dying to self.
When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly – finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within the heart…that is dying to self.
The author of this is unknown. I also changed some of the vocabulary to make it easier to understand. For example, do you know what the word “raiment” means? ;)
