Dying To Self

When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set at naught,

and you do not sting and hurt at 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 all in patient loving silence; 

that is dying to self. 

When you quietly forbear any disorder, any irregularity,

any impunctuality, 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 to self. 

When you are content with any food, any 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 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 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.

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“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20