.. walking selflessly in a selfish world.. by His grace ONLY

have been reading in Matthew 16 this past week.. and this is what jumped out on me yesterday and again today...

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Matthew 16:24-26

started thinking about what it looks like for me to deny myself.. that made me think of what my pastor taught his kids from a very young age.. he put it this way: "the moment someone else enters the room it is about this person, not about you"... denying myself .. what does that mean..

I think it means to put others first, I think it means being patient, not getting annoyed, being self- controlled,  thinking more about how to bless the other person, than to be blessed.. being selfless and putting the other person's interest above my own, being forgiving, making the first step to reconcile, not expecting anything this world has to offer for myself but rather finding all I need in Christ.. giving of myself and my time... and then this scripture came to mind:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5: 22-24

denying myself, taking up my cross daily means accepting where the Lord has me and joyfully following Him, trusting the Spirit to grow the fruit in me to be able to live that way.. let's face it, I can't so this out of my own strength.. I don't think anyone can..

the ultimate goal is this:

that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:19-20

denying myself, emptying myself of myself and being filled with the Spirit.. it's all about Him ... praying that by His grace I can try this again today.. one step at a time..

so thankful that He who began a good work in me WILL indeed bring it to completion.. phew.. He is so faithful, it blows my mind!

#SoliDeoGloria