Pastor Tricia's Ramblings

As we explore the weight of the cross, we are invited into a profound journey—a call to a place where our culture, nationality, rights, theology, dreams, and desires become secondary to our devotion to Jesus Christ. The challenge of dying to self looms large. It’s a concept that can be hard to grasp, yet is foundational to our faith and relationship with Christ.

In reflecting on this profound journey, I am reminded of the poignant story involving Dwight Moody and a young man eager to understand what it truly means to die to self. Upon inquiring about the concept, Mr. Moody engaged the young man in an unexpected lesson. He guided him to a cemetery, selecting a random grave, and encouraged him to speak ill of the deceased—slander, insults, and harsh words flowed with reluctance.

“Now, praise him,” Mr. Moody directed. Confusion clouded the young man’s eyes as he stumbled through words of flattery. “What was his response?” asked Mr. Moody. When the young man shared that the man in the grave remained untouched by both slander and praise, Mr. Moody emphasized a vital truth: “Exactly. If you are dead, you do not care what others think of you or say about you.”

This striking lesson leads us to an essential realization. In our walk as believers, dying to self means releasing the hold that the opinions and expectations of others have on us. The Apostle Paul echoes this in Romans 14:8, reminding us that if we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord. Whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
As we dive deeper into understanding what it means to die to self, we can look to the insights offered by scripture:

1. James 4:10: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” Here, we see that it is in our humility and surrender to Him that we find true elevation—not in clinging to our pride or public perception.
2. Luke 9:23–24: Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. This echoes the necessity of leaving behind our self-centered desires in pursuit of Christ’s purpose.
3. Titus 2:12: As we learn to say “no” to ungodliness and worldly passions, we find freedom in our allegiance to Christ, who equips us to live self-controlled and godly lives in this present age.
4. 1 Peter 2:1–25: Peter reminds us that as we rid ourselves of malice and deceit, we grow into a deeper relationship with Christ. Verse 24 emphasizes that He bore our sins in His body on the cross so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness—another reminder that our personal narratives are transformed by His grace.
   
   As Christ followers, our lives are to reflect the life of Christ within us. This transformative journey calls us to embrace the reality that what matters is not our identity rooted in human accolades or accomplishments, but our unity with Christ in His mission.
   
   In conclusion, to die to self is a daily decision, a deep commitment to allow Christ to live through us. It’s about becoming alive in Him, where our goals align with His—and those goals are to glorify the Father and serve others in love. We learn to keep our hearts open to His leading and our hands ready to serve, for the cross must indeed go deeper in our lives.
   So today, I invite you to reflect: What do you need to die to in order to truly live for Christ?