When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set at naught
And you don't sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight
But your heart is happy being counted worthy to suffer for Christ
Then that is
dying to self.
When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed
And your advice disregarded or your opinions ridiculed
And you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself
But take it in patient endurance and loving silence
That is
dying to self.
When you are content with any food, any offering, any raiment, any climate
Any society, even solitude, any interruption, as the will of God
That, my brother, is
dying to self.
When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity
Any unpunctuality, any annoyance; when you can stand face to face
With waste and folly and extravagance and spiritual insensitivity
And endure it as Jesus endured it
That, my sister, is dying to self.
When you no longer care to hear yourself in conversation
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 within your heart
That truly is dying to self.
When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met
And you can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy or question God
While your own needs are far greater and you are in desperate circumstances
That indeed is dying to self.
"Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 16:24-25).
Author Unknown
 | Precious Memories
by Alan Jackson; Price: $9.76 (49% off)
Customer Review: A few decades ago nearly every country singer had at least one--often more--gospel albums in their catalog. Today, aside from gospel veteran Amy Grant, who balances the sacred and secular, and Randy Travis, that concept has long faded. For Alan Jackson, however, treating the musical past as present has been a way of life, as it is with these 15 tim... [read more] |
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