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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

dying to self (updated)

dying to self...

...when you are forgotten,neglected, or deliberately ignored and you don't sting and hurt with the insult, but your heart is happy being counted worthy to suffer for Christ

...when people speak evil of your good, cross your desires, disregard your advice, ridicule your opinions and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence

...when you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any annoyance, and when you stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensitivity, and you endure it as Jesus endured

...when you are content with any food, any offering, any climate, any society, any clothing, any interruption by the will of God

...when you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or to record your own good words, or to have people take notice of what you say, or to itch after commendations, it is when you can truly love to be unknown

...when you receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart.

Are you a dead person?

In these last days, the Spirit would bring us to the cross, that we might utter with Paul, "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death."

- author unknown

i found this poem on someones's blog recently and saved it in a draft. i thought it really was a great asset as to what the Lord has been showing me lately. God has really been revealing some things to me in the last year.  He has birthed some things in my heart that He has been maturing there since then. and i feel like a woman past due for delivering her baby who is so uncomfortable and doesn't feel like she can make it one more day with this baby inside of her. But just like the natural process, as a mother, there is no way that you can make a baby come until that baby is ready. the only hope a mother has is that she knows that she will not carry that baby around inside of her forever, knowing death would eventually come to her baby if she did.

this God planted stirring in me is kicking and squirming and making itself known inside of me and i want to show it to the world that i live in but it feels as if my world isn't ready to receive it and i am having a hard time with that. there is little recognition that i am even carrying a God-birthed revelation in me and i can see from this poem that obviously i have not mastered the "dying to self" process. i want to shout, "there is a Life-giving revelation in me that is dying to come out and shine light in our lives! i have been showing signs of its Life in me for some time now and know one seems to even notice." but, i know that all the screaming and hollering a woman does will not cause her baby to come any more quickly. so, i sit. sad, lonely, uncomfortable, and wondering if this Life in me will be birthed or will just die inside of me.

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it was just a few short minutes after i published this that i headed over to facebook to check up on my friends and i found this "note of confirmation from the Lord" on one of my friend's status posts. i cried as i read it as i felt so loved by Him at that moment, i knew i needed to come back and add this to my post today.



Your Appointed Time - Tim Hutton

"For the vision is yet for an appointed time…though it tarries, wait for it"
(Habakkuk 2:3, KJV))

God has an appointed time to fulfill the visions, dreams, and desires in your heart. Just because it has taken a long time or because you've tried and failed doesn't mean it's not going to happen. Don't give up on those dreams! Don't be complacent about pursuing what God has placed in your heart. Our God is a faithful God. No matter how long it's been, no matter how impossible things look, if you'll stay in faith, your set time is coming.

Remember, every dream that's in your heart, every promise that has taken root, God put it there. Not only that, but He has every intention of bringing it to pass. Hold on to that vision today. Declare by faith, "My time is coming. God is working behind the scenes on my behalf. I will fulfill my destiny!" As you continue to hold on to that vision and speak life over your dreams, it won't be long before you see them begin to take shape. You'll see your faith grow, you'll see your hope strengthen, and you'll see yourself step into the destiny God has prepared for you!

Father in heaven, I receive Your Word which is life and health to me today. I ask that You ignite my heart with Your holy fire so that I can pursue Your perfect plan for my life. Make my thoughts and words agreeable to Your will. In Jesus' Name, Amen.


23 comments:

Andrea said...

Girl...you just stomped all over my feet...actually my entire being, today. This is VERY convicting! Of course, that means I "really" needed to hear/read it!
I love you. Thank you for sharing what GOD puts on your heart. Thank you for being my friend and for joining me in prayer for others.
Hugs, andrea

Angela said...

the Spirit would bring us to the cross, that we might utter with Paul, "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death."

I've been thinking about this scripture this Lenten season a lot...

It has also come up in quite a few of my devotionals...

Oh Christy, what a powerful devotional you wrote today..thank you so much for this...

Deborah Ann said...

I love the checklist. It looks like a great tool to use for a time of repentance. To carefully examine my heart, and ask God to reveal my motives. Beautiful!

I feel like I've been waiting to give birth for a long time too. I love the encouragement at the end of this post. The timing of this is perfect! Thanks, Christy!

Kristin said...

That was a wonderful post. I can't wait to see what God has been showing you and to hear all about when your time is here. I understand how you feel in a way. I feel like no one in real life is really on the same wavelength as me, concerning what I would love to do with my love for the Lord, and I feel like I can't do it by myself! I need some real life encouragement, like I get from all my bloggy friends! I definitely needed to hear that about dying to self. I struggle with that.

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

Love this post, am working on dying to self!
kim

RCUBEs said...

These first 3 hit me like a lightning:

...when you are forgotten,neglected, or deliberately ignored and you don't sting and hurt with the insult, but your heart is happy being counted worthy to suffer for Christ

...when people speak evil of your good, cross your desires, disregard your advice, ridicule your opinions and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence

...when you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any annoyance, and when you stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensitivity, and you endure it as Jesus endured

I just want to thank you for sharing this with us...What an encouragement it is to me! To hang on. To continue to do good despite the evil. Especially at my workplace. It just gave me the boost I need...

To die...like a caterpillar...I must...in order to become a new, beautiful butterfly...with wings powered by the Spirit...That is the vision I see.Sister Christy, for many months, the Lord has been telling me to come and observe at the foot of His cross. The first ones I saw was how the cross resembled the "plus" [+] sign. And it's true how it is all "plus-es" when we accept His love. And now, after this post, another observation. He conquered death...in order to live again...

As His followers, so we must die...in order to live...It's really unfathomable for me right now but I know the Spirit will help me. You blessed me more than you'll ever know. Blessings and love to you.

He & Me + 3 said...

I love how God works and uses others to get His word across to us and drive it home. That facebook post was for you. In His timing. Can't wait to hear what great things God is doing and going to do in and through you.
Hugs,
Mimi

Julie said...

A beautiful word... thanks for sharing it.

Funny thing for me is that those things I once dreamed of doing.... those things I once thought I would be doing seem lost forever. I've written about it on my blog... as He is revealing to me more in the stillness.

It's hard to wait... really, really hard to wait, especially when you feel something growing so strongly inside you. I totally get this post!

Beth in NC said...

Well, obviously my flesh is alive and well too. Oh dear.

This was a powerful post. I can relate to your feeling of birthing something supernatural, heavenly, -- a connection to your destiny -- yet the time isn't quite here.

I'm glad God led you to a confirmation. (((hugs))) It is a lonely place to be sometimes.

Bless you!
Beth

Veronica said...

Oh wow! What an amazing word! Reading this post gave me chills and I could literally feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. Love the reminder that the Lord is working behind the scenes on my behalf. That is just so awesome!

RaD said...

Wow.

septembermom said...

You have such a gift to reach people's hearts and express their thoughts. Christy, you better write a book someday. You have a gift that you must share with everyone :) I'll be on line to get a copy!!

Heart2Heart said...

Congratulations on your winning of my copy of the Heart of My Heart mother's devotional book. If you can email me with your mailing information, I will get that out to you in the mail.

Love and Hugs ~ Kat

Karen said...

Oh, that list pierced my heart, too...I fall so short in all of this...

You...sweet sister...are a blessing as you wait in obedience to the Lord...His perfect timing will bring forth abundant fruit...

Laura said...

Ouch. This is so good, C.R. I've been working on my servant heart. There's a lot I can use here. Still a work in progress!

Kelly L said...

Dying to self has been a main topic in my life lately.. After reading Kay Warrens book Dangerous Surrender and now Crazy Love by Francis Chan - God is making it very clear that we are to die to self. We need to carry our cross and join him.. Surrender to His will.. His love...

Great post - thanks
Kelly

amanda said...

isn't god great!?! excellent post!!

Tammy said...

dying to self is so hard. NOT dying to self feels so good in the MOMENT, but then you feel so defeated and awful later as the HS deals with your heart. But when you do DIE to self, it's hard, but the reward of peace that follows is priceless!

great post friend

Teresa @ ♥ Too Many Heartbeats ♥ said...

WOW! I saw those words the other day and saved them in my draft, too! Your words today are such a blessing to me. They always are.

{{HUGS}}

Teresa <><

Liz Mays said...

Oh my gosh, I just love this!!!

And that link I just sent you about my weekend...I have to tell you that I truly believe God is using me for his purposes in this relationship. I don't really want to write it all in a comment, but I feel as if our paths crossed for a reason. :)

Anything Fits A Naked Man said...

Wow. Just wow. Thank you for sharing this. I think I really needed to hear this today!

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

Like a fire shut up in your bones...

I understand. Tend to it and wait and see if God doesn't give you a platform to speak your stirring. It's coming. Wait for it.

peace~elaine

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

wonderful post...Thanks so much for sharing....I read it twice