Quotes About Self-denial

So much had been surrendered! And to such little purpose! There had been mad wilful rejections, monstrous forms of self-torture and self-denial, whose origin was fear and whose result was a degradation infinitely more terrible than that fancied degradation from which, in their ignorance, they had sought to escape (...)

Yes, we are overcharged for everything nowadays. I should fancy that the real tragedy of the poor is that they can afford nothing but self-denial. Beautiful sins, like beautiful things, are the privilege of the rich.

Christian spiritual formation rests on this indispensable foundation of death to self and cannot proceed except insofar as that foundation is being firmly laid and sustained.

if you sufficiently dismember yourself, you will not be able to do any wrong action. This is the logic by which Jesus reduces the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees to the absurd.

Self-denial means knowing only Christ, no longer knowing oneself. It means no longer seeing oneself, only him who is going ahead, no longer seeing the way which is too difficult for us. Self-denial says only: he is going ahead; hold fast to him. —DIETRICH BONHOEFFER

Total commitment is about being wise and smart, not necessarily being noble or virtuous. It's not so much about self-denial but about logic and common sense. It's not so much about what you lose; it's about what you gain.

The movement has kept itself from full development by denying, ignoring, and rejecting parts of itself, including its spiritual legacy.

It is you who are the basket cases. For every moment you hated your job, cursed your wife and sold yourself to a dream that you didn't even conceive. For the times your soul screamed yes and you said no. For all of that. Your self torture.

They could not understand the self denial of our emperor, who wants nothing for himself and everything for the good of the world.

And before we can be clean and ready for Him to control, self-seeking, self-glory, self-interest, self-pity, self-righteousness, self-importance, self-promotion, self-satisfaction—and whatsoever else there be of self—must die.

Anorexia, you starve yourself. Bulimia, you binge and purge. You eat huge amounts of food until you're sick and then you throw up. And anorexia, you just deny yourself. It's about control.

Her spiritual training conspires against her as well, having subtly told her that having human wants and needs is somehow worldly, selfish, and even unchristian.

Li o que havia escrito e de novo pensei: de que abismos violentos se alimenta a minha mais íntima intimidade, para que ela se negue a si mesma de tal forma e fuja para o domínio das idéias? Sinto em mim uma violência subterrânea, violência que só vem à tona no ato de escrever.

Incredibly, the self-starved never appear capable of taking any pleasure in the very vessel for which they've sacrificed.

O Lord, self-renunciation is not the work of one day, nor children's sport; yea, rather in this word is included all perfection.

Because you happen to be a writer doesn't mean you have to deny yourself the ordinary human pleasure of being praised and applauded.

The art of motherhood involves much silent, unobtrusive self-denial, an hourly devotion which finds no detail too minute. The soup warming before the fire must be watched. Am I the kind of woman, do you suppose, to shirk such cares? The humblest task may earn a rich harvest of affection. How pretty is a child's laugh when he finds the food to his liking!

But, as the ninth-century cultural critic Jahiz wrote, `Some people who affect asceticism and self denial are uneasy and embarrassed when cunt, cock and fucking are mentioned but most men you find like that are without knowledge, honour, nobility or dignity.'2 I have certainly not played up these features of the narrative,

Definitions from Mulla Do-Piaza Penitent: Someone who has been made incapable of enjoying himself.

In the life of every believer, there is conformity to Christ's suffering, a participation in Christ that inevitably includes the elements of self-denial, shame, and loss.

The road to committed faith is paved with personal abandonment and self-denial. Life ceases to be about us, and it begins to be all about God.

Football is like life, it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority.

It is through giving that we begin to receive. It's through self-denial that we find the gratification we need.

Putting our earthly nature to death isn't something we can do apart from God. It isn't meant to be a renovation we attempt on our own or a charade we play at until it becomes reality. Believe me, I've tried it that way, and it just doesn't work. And yet, while the Holy Spirit wants to help us, we must initiate the act. For in a very real sense, only we can choose to die.