Definitions HQ

Self-denial (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a considerable wing-stretch, but not a proud flight above the world — it is the humble, difficult flight near the earth.

Self-denial (n.) says, ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠in its human form: give up your selfish wishes and be honored as wise; in its Christian form: give them up and be hated, mocked, executed as a criminal — and choose it freely. Christianity does not let you go for half-price.

Self-denial (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠human when the world opens its arms to the one who denies himself, as parents open theirs to a child; it is Christian when the world for that very reason closes its arms, and he must turn twice — to God.

Self-denial (n.) circulates ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠in counterfeit plenty, and the cleverest forgeries even bear the God-mark — taking God along into worldliness; the test is the missing double danger.

Self-denial (n.) rightly ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠marked bears a double sign: it makes a man doubly unhappy — first by denying his desires, then by being ridiculed by the world for it.

Self-denial (n.) abolishes ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠“mine” in love, and so everything becomes the lover's — “All things are mine, I who have no mine at all”; the exact opposite of the criminal, the most wronged of all.

Self-denial (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be recommended freely only by one who has made himself out to be the most selfish man — as Socrates could praise beauty only because he was the ugliest.

Self-denial (n.) would ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be universal if everyone sincerely wanted to understand it, since understanding it with every excuse cut off is its first form.

Self-denial (n.) looks, ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠to anyone who has not lived it, exactly like self-love, pride, eccentricity, madness.

Self-denial (n.) cannot ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be grasped, in the Christian sense, by a noisy assembly or in half an hour; it needs fear and trembling, silence, and time.