{"id":2648822,"date":"2026-08-24T09:28:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T13:28:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/when-will-we-abandon-the-self-centered-life-to-start-following-christ\/"},"modified":"2026-08-24T09:35:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T13:35:05","slug":"when-will-we-abandon-the-self-centered-life-to-start-following-christ","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/when-will-we-abandon-the-self-centered-life-to-start-following-christ\/","title":{"rendered":"When Will We Abandon the Self-Centered Life to Start Following Christ?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwhen-will-we-abandon-the-self-centered-life-to-start-following-christ%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2648822&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/raw-milk-enthusiasts-are-demanding-milk-infected-with-bird-flu\/\" title=\"Raw milk advocates are seeking Bird Flu...contaminated milk\">provided content features<\/a> an article centered on reflecting about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kamala-gif-tiff-sparks-mandatory-anti-racism-training-at-cornell\/\" title=\"Kamala GIF Tiff Sparks ...datory \u2018Anti...Racism\u2019 Training at Cornell\">human worth<\/a>, God&#8217;s mindfulness, and living a Christlike life.It begins with a Psalm 8:4 quote, expressing awe at God&#8217;s attention toward humanity despite our flaws. The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >author examines human tendencies<\/a> such as ingratitude, selfishness, hypocrisy, and the tendency to treat others conditionally, which damage relationships and hinder genuine love and service. <\/p>\n<p>Contrasting this with Jesus Christ\u2019s example-who exemplified patience, humility, and unconditional love-the article challenges readers to emulate christ\u2019s selfless behavior. It urges believers to actively choose love, joy, patience, and reconciliation daily, rather than waiting for feelings or circumstances to motivate them. <\/p>\n<p>The message emphasizes that living a life worthy of Christ requires purposeful choices to deny oneself,prioritize others,and follow God&#8217;s Word diligently. It concludes with a prayer for divine strength to love and serve selflessly,reminding that true life conversion depends on our willingness to walk in God&#8217;s way,not on our own efforts alone.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_1)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cWhat is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?\u201d (Psalm 8:4)<\/em>It\u2019s a strenuous task \u2026 trying to wrap my mind around the fact that the God of the universe \u2014 who holds galaxies in His hand, commanding the winds and the waves \u2014 should care for someone such as myself. And yet, He has made us only \u201ca little lower than the heavenly beings\u201d \u2014 we have been \u201ccrowned \u2026 with glory and honor.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Truly, I ask, who <em>is<\/em> man that the Lord be mindful of him?<\/p>\n<p>The question grows sharper the longer I sit with it. Because when I look honestly at the natural bent of my own heart \u2014 and at the hearts I see around me \u2014 I find something far less worthy of that mindfulness. We are so ungrateful, so hypocritical. We treat others only as well as they treat us, because our deeply flawed love is also deeply conditional. We\u2019re told it\u2019s better to serve than to be served, yet our actions and motives are often laced with the inquiry: what can they do for <em>me<\/em>?<\/p>\n<p>How easily we are tempted to put ourselves first \u2014 to protect our own comfort, pride, and sense of fairness \u2014 forgetting that this very selfishness only wounds the people closest to us. It frays marriages. It cools friendships. It hardens children. It leaves us isolated even in crowded rooms. The self-centered life does not merely disappoint; it systematically dismantles the very relationships we claim to value.<\/p>\n<p>We accept that we\u2019re broken until that brokenness is used against us or calls us to take accountability. We try to embrace our imperfections until confronted by someone else\u2019s. We can hardly fathom a life where the things <em>we want<\/em> don\u2019t seem to pan out, or where genuinely good things demand a tremendous amount of effort to maintain. We acknowledge there are too few hours in a day, yet we seldom lament over how few of those hours are actually spent on our Lord and Savior.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re often arrogant \u2014 insisting on our own way, keeping a record of wrongs, and pulling the speck out of the eyes of those around us while refusing to acknowledge the plank in our own. We feel entitled to what we have, forgetting the words of Paul when he asked, \u201cWhat do you have that you have not received? And if you have received it, why do you boast as though you did not?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Why are we so comfortable working heartily as unto men and not unto the Lord? Why do we live as though we have endless days and infinite opportunities to make things right? Why do we only forgive once we\u2019ve received forgiveness, or only extend love when we feel loved? Why do we want others to feel pain when we feel pain, or loneliness when we feel lonely? Why do we reserve joy for when life is going well, while quickly turning to doubt, anxiety, and fear the moment we don\u2019t understand?<\/p>\n<p>None of this was true in our great example of all things good, true, and beautiful: Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n<p>He acknowledged that all that He had came from above. He made it clear He was only on earth to do the will of His Father in heaven. He knew His time on earth was limited, even longing for the day He would return to His Father. He forgave us, even when we did not ask for forgiveness. He loved us, even when we did not love Him. Despite the agony that awaited, He endured the cross with the \u201cjoy that was set before Him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Doubt, anxiety, and fear had no place in His heart \u2014 which was fully tethered to a loving Father whom He knew was worthy of all trust and praise.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus embodies patience and kindness. He does not envy or boast. He is not arrogant or rude. Stubbornness, irritation, or resentfulness have no way with Him. He does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. He bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.<\/p>\n<p>Can any of us say the same for ourselves?<\/p>\n<p>I can\u2019t help but wonder, and perhaps we <em>all <\/em>should be asking ourselves: When am I going to start loving my neighbor, not because I expect it in return, but simply because I am commanded to love? When am I going to start serving, rather than waiting to be served? When am I going to stop allowing the shortcomings of those around me to become the litmus test for how I conduct myself?<\/p>\n<p>When am I going to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/beyonce-owes-everyone-an-apology-how-renaissance-opened-a-pandoras-box-of-victimhood\/\" title=\"Beyonce\u0301 Owes Everyone An Apology: How \u2018Renaissance\u2019 Opened A Pandora\u2019s Box Of Victimhood\">start choosing<\/a> joy, love, and patience, even when we don\u2019t feel like it?<\/p>\n<p>When am I going to start choosing trust, even when we\u2019re tempted to doubt?<\/p>\n<p>When am I going to start choosing reconciliation, even when we\u2019d rather hold a grudge?<\/p>\n<p>When are we, as the body of Christ, going to start choosing the straight and narrow, even when the wide path, though it leads to death, is much easier?<\/p>\n<p>No one can force us to change and live a life \u201cworthy of the calling to which [we] have been called.\u201d We have to choose it \u2014 day in and day out. We have to \u201cput off the old self with its practices\u201d and \u201cput on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.\u201d We must choose to deny ourselves, pick up our crosses, and follow Him.<\/p>\n<p>Choose love. Choose joy. Choose peace and patience. Choose kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. Choose gentleness and self-control. Choose hope. Choose this day whom you will serve. Stop waiting for a feeling. Stop waiting for someone else to act first.<\/p>\n<p>The Bible says, \u201cThis is the way, walk in it.\u201d May we choose now to walk in the way of the Lord most high, and <em>not <\/em>walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers. But may our \u201cdelight\u201d be \u201cin the law of the Lord,\u201d on which we meditate \u201cday and night.\u201d For only then, the Word says, will we be \u201clike a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers\u201d (Psalm 1).<\/p>\n<p>Yet this is only attainable when we stop living this life for ourselves. We can\u2019t expect to bless or to be blessed when everything is about us. The temptation to put ourselves first is constant \u2014 and it only hurts the people we claim to love. It leaves a trail of gradual damage: unspoken resentments, withheld kindness, relationships slowly starved of the very grace we ourselves so desperately need.<\/p>\n<p>And yet, a wise man once said, \u201cLife is not over until it is over. Today is the day to turn your life in a positive direction.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Dear Lord, this day, renew our hearts \u2014 tune them to sing Your praise. May the frailty of our faithfulness toward You be anchored by Your never-ending faithfulness toward us.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Give us a desire to lay our lives down at the foot of the cross, seeking not to be served, but to serve. Teach us to care more about You and those around us than ourselves. Help us to not merely be hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word, fully equipped to love, even when we don\u2019t feel loved. And when we don\u2019t feel loved, remind us that Your love is more than enough. Set our minds on things above, not on things of this world. Help us imitate Christ, not fallen man. Help our love be less conditional. For if we have reason to believe withholding love and grace from others is justified, You have even more. And yet, You don\u2019t withhold that from us, but freely give it \u2014 whether or not we\u2019re grateful.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>So, Lord, as we pursue to walk in a worthy manner before You, we pray that You help us not grow weary in doing good. We pray that You go before us just as You promised You would. And we pray that in all that we do, whether we eat or drink or whatever we do, that we do it all for Your glory.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Help us remember: this life is not about us. It\u2019s about You. May our whole lives reflect this truth, and may we not be satisfied with anything less.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n<div><em>Sarah Holliday is a contributor at The Washington Stand.<\/em><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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It\u2019s a profound mystery that such a mighty God would care for humanity, despite our flaws and shortcomings<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2648823,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_1871.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[5250,41337,82956],"class_list":["post-2648822","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-faith","tag-selfimprovement","tag-spiritualgrowth"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_1871.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2648822","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2648822"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2648822\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2648826,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2648822\/revisions\/2648826"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2648823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2648822"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2648822"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2648822"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}