Losing Yourself

Losing Yourself

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses himself or damages himself?”

We are created in the image of God, and none of us are alike. God’s intention is to reveal Himself through us. No one can reveal everything that is in God on his own, but all of us together can, each in his own way according to God’s workings. God, who has created us and has equipped each individual with various gifts, works in us according to His pleasure. Our lusts and our self-will are not ourselves. They are the sum total of the sin that has permeated us through the fall. That is essentially the same for all of us. But God’s workings in our heart and in our conscience—that is ourselves as God created us and intended us to be. When people give in to their lusts and their self-will, they lose themselves. They do not become what God has called them to. Thus the person who wants to save his life in this world is motivated by the spirit of the times and worships that which is modern. Jesus says he loses his life. But he who loses his life for Jesus’ sake will save it.

Let us take a group of boys. All of them feel pressured to be along in what is considered “manly.” Many of them are judged in their conscience and know that God is working in their hearts, but in order to gain honor—to save their life among their friends—they lose themselves. They become just like all the others and drown in their group and among the masses of humanity as they grow up. This is how almost everyone is lost; they lose themselves and do not appear as God would like to reveal Himself in them.

When we look at the days of Noah, all the people had corrupted their ways; only Noah walked with God. The others lost themselves, and we don’t know any of them; but Noah was manifested, because He followed God’s workings. This is also how Abraham was manifested as well as Joseph among his brothers. David was also manifested to his own, and we can see throughout the ages men of God who were manifested because they were willing to be led by God.

What would it profit you if you gained the whole world but lost yourself? If you—through flattery and living before the face of man—gained the whole world, what would you get in return if you lost yourself? You will not manifest God when you enter eternity; you will only be a copy of all the other people who have corrupted their ways. This is also what you who are converted to God are doing—within your denomination. You have to play along with the others if you want to be considered a member in good standing and gain a position. You have to agree with them so you are not suspected of being a rebel, even though your conscience rises up in protest. You lose yourself and become just a copy.