Dying to self

Saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Lk. 22:42 ESV).

The concept of dying to self not only confused me as a young Christian, it scared me. One day, I met a brother who had just completed a 7-day fast. He was obviously exhausted, and he told me that he was dying to self. This was certainly the wrong experience for me at that point in time!

The words “not my will, but yours, be done” in our verse above, encapsulates the meaning of dying to self. It simply means yielding the control of your life over to the Lord, choosing to do what the Lord wants, instead of doing or saying what you want. You live your life for God.

But how is this actually done? We yield to God by love, not by constraints or force. Do you love the Lord? If you do, dying to self comes effortlessly. Sin hurts God’s heart. If you love Him, you will not intentionally live in sin. If you love Him, you will not hold bitterness against another brother or sister, because the Lord that you love, is also hurt by bitterness.

Are you too focused on your own feelings and desires, to consider how God feels about your thoughts and behavior? Keep your focus on the Lord, and grow in your surrender to Him every day. Before your next word or move, imagine how the Lord, whom you love, would feel if He were standing right next to you – because He truly is even closer than that.

MEDITATE

Does God force His will upon you? What does He want you to do with your will? See James 4:7.

APPLY THE WORD

Learning to yield your life to God’s control will result in the greatest joy of your Christian life. You will not lose your life, as you might think. Instead, you will gain an abundance of joy!