Dying to self... Is there anything more central to a believers life in Christ? In fact, Jesus tells us that unless we die to self and carry our cross we cannot be His disciple.  Is there anything that reveals our need of Grace more than dying to self? The harder we try the more we find "self" asserting it ugly "self".  The less we try the more we find a lack of concern with our "self".

Lord, give us a true view of our "self" and grant us the grace to put it to death.  Let us not rest in any sense of having "arrived". Rather, help us to say with Isaiah, "Woe is me, I am undone!".  Let this knowledge drive us to the Cross, to seek Your Grace to lay aside what we are, leaving it there.  Grant us the Spirit's power to pick up the Cross, follow you, and leave the old man behind...