A guy at the Christmas service passed this out...
Dying to Self
When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set behind because of your stand for righteousness, and you don't sting with hurt or with insult or paying back evil, but your heart is truly 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 or gossiped about, and you refuse to let anger rise up in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in loving silence, that is dying to self.
When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any impunctuality, or any annoyance, when you can stand face-to-face with waste, folly, extravagance, or spiritual insensiblity, and endure it as Jesus endured it, that is dying to self.
When you are content with any food, any offering, any clothing, any climate, any society, any solitude, aand with any interruption by the will of God, and continue to love and pray for all, 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 commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown in doing the good works that God has prepared, that is dying to self.
When you can see your brother prosper, having all his needs met, and you can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God why 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.
Am I dead yet? Have I been nailed to His cross yet? In these last days, the Spirit would bring us to that cross of Christ, that we may know Him, being conformed to His death.
Dying to Self
When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set behind because of your stand for righteousness, and you don't sting with hurt or with insult or paying back evil, but your heart is truly 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 or gossiped about, and you refuse to let anger rise up in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in loving silence, that is dying to self.
When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any impunctuality, or any annoyance, when you can stand face-to-face with waste, folly, extravagance, or spiritual insensiblity, and endure it as Jesus endured it, that is dying to self.
When you are content with any food, any offering, any clothing, any climate, any society, any solitude, aand with any interruption by the will of God, and continue to love and pray for all, 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 commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown in doing the good works that God has prepared, that is dying to self.
When you can see your brother prosper, having all his needs met, and you can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God why 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.
Am I dead yet? Have I been nailed to His cross yet? In these last days, the Spirit would bring us to that cross of Christ, that we may know Him, being conformed to His death.
