Whatever is Pure, Inspiring Christian Poetry, Devotionals and Testimonies October 2004

DYING TO SELF

Author Unknown.
Please email me if you know the author.

When you are forgotten, or neglected,
or purposely set at naught,
and you don't sting and hurt
with the insult or
The oversight, but your heart is
happy, being counted worthy
to suffer for Christ,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

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

When you lovingly and
patiently bear any disorder,
and irregularity, any
impunctuality, or any annoyance;
when you can stand face
to face with waste,
folly, extravagance, spiritual
insensibility and endure it
as Jesus endured it,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you are content with
any food, any offering,
any raiment, any climate,
any society, any solitude,
any interruption by the
will of God,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you never care to
refer to yourself in
conversation, or to
record your own good works,
or itch after 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
desperate circumstances,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you can receive
correction and reproof
from one of less stature
than yourself, and can
humbly submit inwardly
as well as outwardly,
finding no rebelling or
resentment rising up
within your heart,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

Are you dead yet?

In these last days the Spirit would bring us to the Cross.

"That I may know Him ...being made conformable to His death."

In A Fog?

1 Cor 13:12 The Message:
We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

I woke up this morning just before dawn. As I looked out my bedroom window, I could see clear across the river valley that winds it way through my large urban city and could barely make out the fall plumage on the trees. Satisfied and grateful, I turned away from the window and went on in my usual morning routine, breakfast, coffee and checking my email.

When I looked out the window again, about an hour later, I could barely see across the street, no matter across the huge river valley system. A fog was rolling in. And as I peered out the window, that fog closed in on my view, blocking my ability to see anything. Yet, even in that fog, I knew the sun was shining. It reflected against the low clouds, high vapor or whatever fog is. I never was overly scientific but even though I couldn't see the sun, I knew it was there. I just had to be patient for the strong morning rays to burn away that which clouded my vision.

Today has turned out to be a glorious Autumn day. While we are experiencing an early fall this year, I can't help but marvel at the reds, oranges, browns and yellows that fill the horizon. It seems I can see forever. I had no doubt I'd see the sun again. But after the fog, I am even more grateful for the clarity and crispness of the vista before me.

Perhaps you are in a spiritual fog these days, finding it hard to see clearly, wondering if the Lord is directing you, if there is a light at the end of the tunnel so to speak. Remember, the Lord's light is still there, although it may be momentarily obscured by the fog of our own self-doubt, our own fears, our own confusion and even by the voices of others who add their own ideas into the mix, God is still there. He hasn't vanished. If we turn to Him, he'll cast his powerful light on that ' spiritual ' fog and as surely as the sun rises, the clouds will lift. Fog is not forever. God is.

If you would like prayer about any matter, perhaps this letter sparked something within you, perhaps you are in a place of fog as far as direction, guidance or spiritual growth, and would like intercessors to pray for you, please visit I Lift My Eye Web Ministries Prayer Pages and submit a prayer request there. We'd love to be praying with you, standing in faith.

Please write for permission to use in any form.
© Katherine Walden
Founder "Whatever is Pure Ezine"