When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set at naught, and you 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 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, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility,
And endure it as Jesus endured it – that is dying self.
When you are content with any food, any offering, any raiment, any climate,
Any society, any attitude, any interruption by the will of God – that is dying self.
When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good works,
Or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown – that is dying to self.
When you see your brother prosper and 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,
Can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart – that is dying to self.
AUTHOR UNKNOWN
1. Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
2. Galatians 5:24 “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”