 
                “Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; And an idle soul shall suffer hunger. He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; But he that despiseth his ways shall die. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; And that which he hath given will he pay him again. Chasten thy son while there is hope, And let not thy soul spare for his crying. A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: For if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again. Hear counsel, and receive instruction, That thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man's heart; Nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. The desire of a man is his kindness: And a poor man is better than a liar.”
Proverbs 19:15-22 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/pro.19.15-22.KJV
Dying to Live
Dying to ourselves can feel like a bad thing. Most people want to exalt, applaud, and promote themselves.
But in God’s kingdom, dying to ourselves is essential.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me.”
Galatians 2:20 NIV 
A lump of clay cannot become a work of art unless it is shaped into something else. A container of paint cannot be used for a masterpiece unless it is first poured out. A carbon deposit must change in order to become a diamond. A caterpillar must give up its old way of life in order to become a magnificent butterfly.
The invitation to die is actually an invitation to live.
When we give our lives to God, we’re choosing to surrender our plans, our desires, and our gifts. And that can be hard. But we also know there is something better—and Someone better—on the other side.
God can realign our plans, reshape ...