Two scriptures

I'm not going to look up the chapters and verses for these right now:

Whoever loses his life for my sake, and that of the gospel, will save it.

There is no greater love than this: to lay down one's life for a friend. 

There are times when I can clearly see the truth of these words of Jesus.

There are other times when the hope they offer seems far from me.

I wonder whether the chief difference between those times might primarily be on where my attention lies, and on whether I am trying to take the life that I have long since laid down for Christ and for those I love back up for myself.