We are living in a world that is abnormally concerned with self. Everything is about my plans, my successes, my failures, my life. Even when we go to church, we are often concerned about what God can do for me and not others. We’ve been conditioned by the world to think of ourselves first. Think about some of the shows that you’ve seen on TV. A lot of them work on the theme of chasing something so that you can be happy or successful, whether it’s money or a man/woman, or weight loss. The ultimate goal is fulfilling self. The problem with that goal is that it goes against all that Jesus taught us in His ministry. We are to die to self every day of our lives.
Whoa, Ebony! What are you saying to us? I know that God wants me to have the desires of my heart and be happy. Yes He does! Absolutely He does…but did you make note of the whole verse? Psalms 37:4 says “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart”. Did he say delight in your happiness? Delight in your money? Delight in fame? Nope! He said delight yourself in the Lord! Delight means to give pleasure to or be pleasing to; to hold spellbound. Doesn’t that sound like God wants you so wrapped up in Him first before He focuses on giving you what you want? Okay, okay…so maybe you don’t think that’s a very clear example.
Galatians 2:20 in The Message Bible says, “Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” It’s time for us to stop living for ourselves. If Christ lives in us, our life is not our own so our first thought cannot be what is going to please us. It has to be would this be pleasing to God. When Christ died on the cross, He died to self. He SUFFERED, I mean really suffered, for our sins. He could have gotten down off that cross and called legions of angels to come and help Him but He said what God has sent me to do is more important than any plan that I could have. He isn’t even asking us to hang on a cross, He’s just asking us to kill that part of us, our flesh, that wants to control everything. Let Him be in control.
This is a daily struggle for me but my prayer is always, God I submit my will to you. It’s my daily prayer because I was the queen of trying to fix things on my own. Then when I had messed everything up, I was running to God for Him to get me out of it. Clearly, not the way to go! So I have to say, God, I die to myself today. You take control of my life, my plans, my ideas because there is nothing that I could think of that could come close to You. I had to make Isaiah 55: 8-9 one of my life verses, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” It reminds me of my place in the grand scheme of things.
So here is the final thing, Luke 9:23 and it’s something that a lot of us as Christians do not want to hear. “And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” If you are going to follow Jesus, you have to do it. Kyle Idleman, in his book, Not a Fan, talks about how this verse is the difference between being a fan of Jesus and a follower. It’s not comfortable for us to deny ourselves. We want to live the good life! But Luke 9:24 tells that “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.”
And that’s the key, though you are dying to yourself, you are gaining a way better life! One that is eternal and secure. No temporary highs here…just joy everlasting and unsurpassed peace.
So my question for you is….Have you died today?
Be blessed…
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