Dying to self is one of the most difficult things to do in our Christian life. It would mean giving up everything that is precious that we can live without. But what does it mean to die to self and what does it take to die?
Dying to self is a painful process. It takes your all to be willing to die to yourself. It means saying no to our rights as we are in the valley of humiliation. It is at this valley that your true character is tested. Will you be silent when you are persecuted and will you be willing to suffer even if it means humiliation?
We totally surrender ourselves to God as we own nothing of our own. We do not have self-agenda, as we do not make decisions to try to accomplice anything on our own. We would abandon our all and follow Jesus. Our daily walk would be the ways of Jesus. We allow Him to direct and guide us, and we give Him full permission to gear our lives anyway He wants, even if it means pain and suffering.
When we say that we are totally dying to ourselves, we only have one agenda, walk the way God wants us to walk and do everything that He says. God is our focus and we only do what He says to us and we take His instructions every moment of the day.
Many of us will clinch in anger when someone steps into our toe, but are we supposed to behave in that manner if we are called to be a Christian witness? How do we fare in standing our faith for Christ and where do we stand when others wronged us? Do we retaliate, or do we silently endure?
If we want to follow Jesus, we must be willing to die for Him. The process is painful, but once you surrender your heart to God, you will want to say no to yourself and say yes to Jesus. Jesus expects us to give in even if it is painful. Do you have pride that holds you back because you are unwilling to let go? Know that Jesus gave His all when He died on the cross for us. He did not withhold anything and He was willing to die a martyr’s death.
Are you holding on to any area of your life? What are some of the areas that you need to work on in order to die to yourself? Make a checklist as to what areas you are hanging on to and give that list to Jesus and ask Him to help you get over them with. By crying out to God, you are telling Him that you are dependent on Him and you need Him to help you overcome issues that you are unable to help yourself. Give that list to Him and watch Him do miracles in your life. You will be surprised that soon all the weaknesses that you see in yourself will be gone.
Be willing to be in a place where you are vulnerable to yourself and to God and watch Him do wonders in your life as you are willing to die to yourself and give yourself to Him. It is only in the place when you die to yourself that you will begin to live.
Be willing to die so that you will begin to live for Him. Your life will never be the same again as you give yourself to Him. Watch God develop you as you do that. You will be glad that you do that.
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