How can I address the selfishness in my own life?

Mark 8:34Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.”

Galatians 2:20My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

When we surrender to God, we give up what we think is best for our life and do what he knows is best. We put aside our self-fulfilling ambitions so that we can do the job Jesus has for us. We ask Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to live in us and show his love through us.

Matthew 20:28“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

1 Corinthians 10:24Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.

Philippians 2:3Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.

1 Corinthians 10:31-33So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. . . . I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.

James 3:16Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

Selfish motives produce selfish actions. To escape selfishness, we must learn to want what is best for others more than what is best for ourselves.

Philippians 3:4, 7-8I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! . . . I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ

Selfishness is all about us and what we can get now. The Christian life is all about obeying God, serving others, and delaying our reward until the future. We are called to put our energy into things that last forever.

1 John 3:17If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?

One of the best cures for the selfish heart is generous giving. And anonymous giving is the best way to avoid the selfish desire for attention and praise for our generosity.

Philippians 2:3-4Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Unselfishness is learning to put others first.