41 Quotes About Self-denial

Man in his spiritual pride has exchanged God’s method of self-denial for Satan’s plan of self–improvement.

The Lord bestows his blessings there, where he finds the vessels empty.

The road to self-improvement does not begin with the realization of other people’s scorn. Personal salvation commences with the determined excavation and displacement of a crusty layer of self-denial, which defense mechanism camouflaged my intensifying sense of self-repugnance for how I acted in this earthly life.

The qualities of stoic self-denial, self-sacrifice for others, patient labour, expiation for past error, willing acceptance of the burdens of life, were for him nobler manifestations of humanity than ostentatious feats of bravery, death-defying deeds of heroism or a life ruled by passions. He was persuaded that moral strength could best be displayed by silent endurance rather than by vehement anger and passionate rebellion.

There is no such thing as selflessness. There are only fair and unfair selfishness.

A wilderness experience includes a long walk back.

It takes self-discipline and persistence action to achieve the goal.

Self-denial in the pursuit of purpose generates true pleasure while self-indulgence in the pursuit of pleasure generates true misery.

It was so quiet, I could hear my own breathing, loud in my ears. Outside, the ocean was crashing, waves hitting sand, then pulling back to sea. I thought of everything being washed away, again and again. We make such messes in this life, both accidentally and on purpose. But wiping the surface clean doesn't really make anything any neater. It just masks what is below. It's only when you really dig down deep, go underground, that you can see who you really are.