From the Pulpit: Dying to self

Jesus said some pretty challenging statements in the gospels. Luke 9:23 is one such statement. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” The Christian life is to be marked by self-denial. 

What does it mean to deny yourself daily? Well, it means a lot of things. Over the years I have benefitted from a saying from an unknown source, that I have taped to my dresser, whenever I read it, it helps me in my struggle to deny myself. Here it is:

• When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught and you don’t sting and hurt with the insult, but your heart is happy being counted worthy to suffer for Christ . . . that is DYING TO SELF.

• When your good is evil spoken of, and when your wishes are crossed, or your advice disregarded, or your opinion ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but you take it all in patient, loving silence . . . that is DYING TO SELF.

• When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, or irregularity, or annoyance; when you stand face-to-face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and you endure it as Jesus endured . . . that is DYING TO SELF.

• When you are content with any food, any offering, any climate, any society, any raiment, any interruption by the will of God . . . that is DYING TO SELF.

• When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good words, or to itch after commendations, and 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 you 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 your heart . . . that is DYING TO SELF.