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 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, any

irregularity, and 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 no longer care to hear 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 rebellion or resentment

rising up within your heart, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

Author Unknown