For even if you were to gain all the wealth and power of this world with everything it could offer you — at the cost of your own life — what good would that be? And what could be more valuable to you than your own soul? Matt 16:26
Taking Back Your Life – Cross Series Part 3
It's taken me most of my 33 years to learn how to say no to the wrong things so I can say yes to the right things: the things that are in line with the path set before me to walk. What I thought was turning from my selfish ways was actually an excuse not to engage my God-given purpose. I threw myself into work, I tried to be the person I thought I should be, who I thought others wanted me to be and it ended up breaking me to pieces.
But in that place of brokenness, I discovered what I was really made of and I began to understand and explore who I was made to be. It's usually the incredibly painful experiences of life that teach us the true value of good selfishness and self-care. They are the catalysts that take us from aimlessly meandering through our lives to purposefully and wondrously embarking on the journey of a literal lifetime.
I find that “turning from my selfish ways” has more to do with intentionally engaging my purpose than from committing any sins. Avoiding the hard work of being the best I can be has kept me from my calling more than sin ever will. And before it starts sounding all morose and too hard, it turns out that this is the most fulfilling way to live. Authenticity is the gateway to joy and fulfilment.
Turning from my selfish ways can look like (not in any particular order…):
– Keeping my body healthy and fit (when I really could just eat chocolate all day every day – any friends?)
– Attending to the brokenness of my heart, which could mean therapy.
– Choosing carefully what I listen to and what I read.
– Taking responsibility for my own happiness and journey.
– Taking a holiday to refresh my soul.
– Saying no to something great so I can say yes to something right.
– Giving my work my full attention and not running away when trouble strikes.
– Going to bed early the night before a big meeting.
– Staying up late with a friend who’s husband just left her.
– Saying no to my kids when they want to watch grown up shows when it would be easier to say yes.
– Saying yes to my kids when they interrupt my work.
– Loving my enemies (not just tolerating them… ouch!).
– Praying for those who persecute me.
– Being kind and generous.
– Being open-hearted.
– Knowing the difference between good alone time and destructive alone time.
– Taking a night off to romance my husband.
– Taking a night off to watch Netflix and eat pizza (right?)
– Taking the night to read and write and develop my gift.
All you really need to do turn from bad selfishness to the good kind of selfishness, is to follow the often gentle, sometimes insistent, voice of the Divine leading you through it all.
“For if you choose self-sacrifice and lose your lives for my glory, you will continually discover true life. But if you choose to keep your lives for yourselves, you will forfeit what you try to keep. For even if you were to gain all the wealth and power of this world with everything it could offer you — at the cost of your own life — what good would that be? And what could be more valuable to you than your own soul?” Jesus. (Matt 16:25-26 PT).
If Jesus was not mentally, physically or spiritually prepared, the anticipation of the cross would have killed him.
Go to Part 4 – Being Crucified »
