The Spirit brought the reminder of this back to me last week while I was in Orlando, and––my childhood copy of the saying, worn as it had been, long gone now––I searched the internet to see if I could find it anywhere. And there it was…just as convicting and challenging as ever. I've got it stuck inside my Bible once again and am asking the Lord to continue to write it on my heart...
When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don't sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy 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 opinions ridiculed, and you refuse
to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take in all in
patient, loving silence…
That is
dying to self.
When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder,
any irregularity, any impunctuality, or any annoyance; when you stand face-to-
face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility-and 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 works, or itch after commendations,
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 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.
