Dying to Self

Today as I cleaned house, washed bedding, and basically just served my family I kept thinking “I have more important work to do!” “God I have so many things to do so that I might serve you!” “Why bother doing all this just to have to do over again?”

And sometimes I even think "There is a great and mighty work to do and God needs me – so off I want to go! A mighty warrior wanting to save the world!" Or at least my small sphere of it!

Oh the arrogance of my flesh!!! But in that still small voice God spoke.

“Yes my Beloved, you have great and mighty things to do for me! One of those things is serving your family. I’ve called you to be a servant to those around you, first and foremost to your family. If you can not learn to serve your family as if you are serving Me then how can you truly learn to serve others.”

Being a servant to all means dying to the flesh, my dreams, and what I think is important. I need to follow hard after God. I need to follow Jesus.

Jesus came to die. He came to serve. His purposes here on earth were great and mighty. His purpose on earth was to do the will of His Father.

My purpose is no different. God has sent me here to fulfill His purposes, to serve all those He brings in my life and to die to the flesh.

Is there anything harder? Is this not the greatest battle we fight? My flesh wages war against my spirit! It’s a daily battle that grows very weary at times, but a battle that must be fought and won. We can not give up. We can not let the enemy discourage us – it’s a daily battle to fight against the flesh, against pride and arrogance but we have One who is great and mighty who fights with us.

Oh Jesus help me to die to my flesh. Forgive me for getting so caught up in what I think you want me to do and to be that I have forgotten to serve those you have placed in my life. Forgive me, AGAIN, for the sin of pride and arrogance. Jesus help me to be a servant to all, especially my family, full of love, mercy and grace so that they might see You and be drawn to YOU and You alone.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your won personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the from of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.Phil 2:3-8

Jesus I pray that I would continue to learn to pour out myself as a drink offering to those you have called me to….