Surrendering Self by Glenn Haggerty
Surrendering Self
Self-sacrifice means giving up something we have or want for the benefit of another. It is a demonstration of love and leads to deep bonds of friendship.
God hardwired people for relationships. We not only want to communicate and hang out with others on a meaningful level, but we also need friendships for mental and spiritual health. From the very beginning, God said it wasn’t good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18). And the entire message of the Bible is God’s desire and plan to restore the relationship with humankind. That restoration includes rebuilding relationships between people. God’s greatest commandment is to Love God—and the second is to love one another.
Key Verse: John 15:13 NLT. “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
In Run, thirteen-year-old Tyler and his friends witness a murder and are discovered. They must flee for their lives. Tyler demonstrated love for his friends by giving up his chance to escape so they could. Although Tyler had to endure relentless pursuit, he too eventually and providentially escaped. His friends recognized Tyler’s selflessness, and it cemented their friendship like almost nothing else could.
But laying down your life for a friend doesn’t necessarily mean literally dying. Consider situations where you can give up your plans for another’s good—and the good of your friendship Giving up what we want for the good of another is what selflessness is all about. Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, and list the attributes of love that you SHOULD DO along with the behaviors you should avoid. Which attributes are most difficult for you to apply daily? Which ones are the easiest? And of those on your list, rank the ones you would like others to apply to you first.
God desires that we develop meaningful friendships. Any urges that pull us toward isolation are not of God. One of Satan’s strategies for defeating people is to tear down their relationships. We must, therefore, fight through unhealthy urges toward isolation, or behaviors that hurt relationships and seek other believers in Christian friendship.
No man or woman, boy or girl is an island, and selflessness is the key to keeping friendships.
Find out more about selflessness, finding friends, forgiveness, handling bullies and talking to God at
http://www.glennhaggerty.com/my-books/run-companion-bible-study/
Scripture quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
(NLT). Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights
reserved.
Purchase Links
Kindle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F1JNBMT
Amazon Print https://www.amazon.com/Companion-Bible-Study-Run-Handling/dp/0999399454/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
BIO
Glenn writes inspiring adventures with an edge. No matter how dark the day, finding hope to pursue the prize is the core of all his novels and studies. He is a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), a graduate of Vision Loss Resources and Bethel Seminary, the father of six and grandfather of seven. Glenn likes tandem biking, kayaking, and daydreaming and lives in Minneapolis with his wife. He is also an award-winning author with short stories published in Splickety, Havok, Cadet Quest and Partners. Chase, the third book in his Intense series was released on April 1, 2018, and his first companion Bible study on July 1, 2018. You can visit him at www.glennhaggerty.com, and reach him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GlennHaggertyAuthor, and on Twitter, @grhaggertyjr.
