Dying to Self ~ Part 2

To find part 1 of Dying to Self, click here.

We looked at the “obvious” applications of dying to self already, but as I’ve been meditating on the concept, I’ve seen so much more. My need to “die to self” doesn’t stop at giving up the last bite of my cookie to my husband or child (this is a huge thing by the way!) I’ve been challenged, through Passionate Housewives, to view my day to day chores and duties as a die to self thing. Yuck… do the dishes AGAIN!... Die to self. Iron even though I’m tired? Die to self. On my feet all day working around the house and dealing with grumpy littles? Die to self and keep going, oh, and without gripping about it. (By the way, rarely am I on my feet all day working around the house. The trick here is that I need to die to self in order to be willing to do those sorts of things. It is this lack of discipline that is the reason our home is in the state it’s in… and the reason for my “dying to self” reflection in the first place.) Though I have been greatly challenged in the last week or so to die to self in my home duties (and I’ll be working on that in the coming hours/days/weeks/months)… it goes deeper!

Dying to self, in its core, means giving up those things we “have a right to”. What sort of things do I mean??? My “right” to be grumpy, for one. But, just wait… it gets better! My “right” to get frustrated with my toddlers blatant disobedience. My “right” to sit and read. My “right” to an uninterrupted Bible time. My “right” to take something personally.

You see, our “rights” need to be the first things to go when we are dying to self. I am a very sensitive person… and I struggle with a bit of a “fear of man” problem. When I die to self, I must dismiss both of these. When my husband makes a comment that I take negatively about the house or dinner or whatever (regardless of how he intended it), dying to self means I must give up my “right” to be hurt by it. Did that one hit a nerve of anyone else around here? You see, this all occurred to me last night… LAST NIGHT (written Friday)! I have not yet even had a chance to put any of what I am sharing with you into practice… I only know it to be true.

One of my best friends in college was a beautiful picture of this concept of giving up her “rights”. She was blessed with a roommate who selfishly hogged their only phone. Night and day she was talking to her long distance boy friend, making it impossible for her roommates to call home, or even across campus. It was a regular frustration, but I will never forget the day she shared with me her struggle to give up her right to the phone. I had never heard of such a reaction before. The only reaction I’d ever heard of growing up was that of claiming my rights, and here she was asking the Lord to help her give hers up. What an amazing concept! And imagine how our perspective changes when we do give up those rights. No longer are we angry or frustrated, but instead the Lord gives us love, peace, contentment and joy!

Can you imagine how much happier I will be, how much more joy I will have, as soon as I die to self and give up my “rights”? I live a truly blessed life! I have a husband who loves me more than I ever dreamed of. I have two beautiful and very sweet children. I am blessed to stay home with my children. We live comfortably, have a wonderful church and truly lack nothing we need! It is when I cling to my “rights” (my “right” to be disappointed, my “right” to be oversensitive, my “right” to have my husband agree with me) that I become discontent and loose my joy! Why would I want to do that? Why do I sabotage my own happiness?

I am determined to make a change. I repent of my old, sinful ways, and I am purposing to dye to self.

Labels: Life Lessons for Mommy, Reflections

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 2:44 PM