 
                “By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh the bone. Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; Lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee. A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour Is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow. Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint. As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, So is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart. If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:”
Proverbs 25:15-21 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 ...