Monday, May 7, 2012

Dying to Self

I ran across this anonymous poem this evening and was challenged by it. Just had to share...

When you are forgotten, neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don't sting or hurt with 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 opinion 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, any annoyance; when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus did;
    That is dying to self.
When you are content with any food, and offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God;
    That is dying to self.
When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or record your own good works or itch after commendation, 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 you are 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.

I've got a long way to go, but at least I have a better idea of what to shoot for!

Jan

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(Copyright© 2012 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

4 comments:

Denise said...

Love this Jan! Wow, it is perfect for me as I have been working on dying to self the last couple of months and becoming a more obedient and humble woman.

Beautiful poem!
Blessings and hugs,
Denise

Jan Christiansen said...

Thanks for dropping by, Denise! This dying to self stuff is an on-going process, isn't it?

Of course, we can work on it and make ourselves aware of when "self" is stepping to the forefront, but only God can really change us, so I guess the best way to die to self is to focus on living for Him.

Praying for you today, Denise.

Joy said...

Wow, Jan!!! You did it again. You really know how to speak it out and loud, too. Thank you for sharing this. Thank you for being willing to "sharpen us" in the Lord.
Love you,
Joy

Jan Christiansen said...

Thanks, Joy. I didn't write this poem, but I sure did wish I had!