I am personally convinced that submission, dying to self, crucifying of pride, is crucial to feeling joy. We think of denying our self as somber, grim-faced business, when it is in truth a prelude to happiness. If you want power, learn to be assertive. If you want joy, learn to be submissive. We find joy in the absence of serving self because we experience love in serving others. Only when we die to self can we fully love another.
Self is a devilish creature, demanding all of our energy, wanting our constant attention, reaching even into our pocketbooks for favors. How can we ever hope to be attuned to another’s spirit when self is making so much noise? How can we ever hope to love another when self screams for our constant care? When self is alive and well, it offers us an all-or-nothing proposition.
We either pacify self, or we crucify it. ~Judson Edwards~
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:1-8
No comments:
Post a Comment