DYING TO SELF

When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught and you don't sting and hurt with insult; but you 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 is 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, and irregularity, or 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 words 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 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 humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up in your heart...that is DYING TO SELF.

Are you dead yet? In these last days, the Spirit would bring us to the cross, "That I may know Him...being made conformable unto His death". (Phil. 3:10)

Thanks to "The Word Training Center"

Elder J.A. Vazquez