Dying to self

Some people told me that this picture didn’t have a meaning. As for me, this picture tells a lot of stories. If you look it randomly you wouldn’t see anything but if you look closer you probably see men at the end of the corner. Then I remember a note I read somewhere called dying to self.

A very nice one that blessed me a lot.

Dying to self

When your good is evil spoken of. Or when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed. Yet, 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.

The moment you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any impunctuality, or any annoyance; when you stand face-to-face with waste, silly extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus did….that is dying to self.

When you are content with any food, any offering, any climate, any society, any raiment, any interrogation, any interruption by the will of God….that is dying to self.

The moment you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to defend your own beliefs, your own good works, or itch for 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 in more desperate circumstances…. That is dying to self.

When you receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself. Yet can humbly submit inwardly, as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion, retaliation, self-sympathy, self-defense, self-vindication, self-justification, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness in the heart… That is dying to self!

THE MUSINGS

The picture itself tells me all the bitterness, unforgiveness and all loneliness most of us have. Do not forget to look closely, there are a light and people who we think isn’t. Dying to self means we let ourself to experience those things in order to be renewed with the light that guided us to be a better person.