It only asks you to think about self, less.
“‘Help me to deny myself, so that I may be present & available to fulfill the needs of another.’
I pray this prayer every day.
Selflessness doesn’t ask you to not care about yourself.
It simply asks you to care about self, less, so that you have capacity to serve others.”
-Ray Zingler on X
I used to a “me” guy.
I was focused on myself.
Leveraging situations to turn the tables in my favor.
I’m embarrassed to admit there was a point in my life where I would have thrown you down and stepped on your back to get what I wanted. What was “rightfully mine”.
But then life hit me.
I suffered from anxiety and depression.
Feelings of brain fog and loneliness.
What’s the point of life? It’s a miserable living hell.
This “badass” was badass, no more.
And then God arrested my sin that was rooted in selfishness and taught be all about selflessness.
I never did drugs, but this selflessness thing was one thing I couldn’t get enough of. I got addicted to it, quick.
At 34 years old, I don’t have the wisdom of an old timer.
But I do have 16 years of living outside from under my parent’s roof with adult money to spend how I choose.
I’ve bought some stuff, too.
My dream gyms.
My dream trucks.
My dream houses.
All my life I’d dreamt about a picturesque hunting cabin tucked into the mountains with the wood burning stove, surrounded by thousands of acres of uninhabited land. It was my dream to buy this fantasy before my (eventual) kids we’re fully grown, so that I could share it with them. I ended up buying that cabin in my 20’s before I had kids at all.
The point isn’t to tell you how awesome I am because my efforts have yielded me the blessings to be able to temporarily steward the Lord’s money to acquire physical things that are sentimental to me.
Quite the contrary.
I have all the things I ever wanted. Literally. All of them.
Am I grateful?
Without question. I thank God for my blessings every day.
But this doesn’t change the fact that these are still things.
I realize the things I dreamt about and have come to acquire are nothing more than metal, steel, iron, concrete, wood, rubber, plastic, and dirt.
They bring me joy, they do, but not NEARLY the joy of getting to serve others.
Deny yourself and focus on Him.
He will lead you to serving Them.
It’s the greatest gift of them all.
