Holding On When You Should Let Go

My Utmost For His Highest

 

“We are designed with a great capacity for God, but sin, our own individuality, and wrong thinking keep us from getting to Him. God delivers us from sin— we have to deliver ourselves from our individuality. This [delivering ourselves]means offering our natural life to God and sacrificing it to Him, so He may transform it into spiritual life through our obedience. God pays no attention to our natural individuality in the development of our spiritual life. His plan runs right through our natural life. We must […] not stand against Him by saying, “I can’t do that.” God will not discipline us; we must discipline ourselves. God will not bring our “arguments…and every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5)— we have to do it. Don’t say, “Oh, Lord, I suffer from wandering thoughts.” Don’t suffer from wandering thoughts. Stop listening to the tyranny of your individual natural life and win freedom into the spiritual life. […] It is what Paul meant in Galatians 2:20 when he said, “I have been crucified with Christ….” His individuality had been broken and his spirit had been united with his Lord; not just merged into Him, but made one with Him.” CHAMBERS

 

Be careful not to play the role of victim in your Christian life.  Where you feel like there are things that will never change .. it’s just the way you are!  You can’t do anything about it.  That thinking runs directly against what God has told us in His Word. And what you know to be true in your life.  You are rationalizing.  I was told once what rationalize means is that you are telling yourself “rational lies”.  You know that God has forgiven you in Jesus Christ.  You know that if you are in Christ .. the old has gone and the new has come.  You know that you have the Spirit of God in you as a promise and as a help.  You know you have the Word of God to show you the Truth.  And yet, in spite of all that, there are some things from your old life that linger … that are familiar … that continue to define you … perhaps once protected “the inner you” in some way.  In your heart you know they are contrary to your new life, that you should release them, that they are holding you back.  All of us struggle with these things at times in our lives … listen … we have to let them go … lay them on the altar … Even as you read these words, there may be something that comes to mind … lay it down … stop believing the rational lie … You can do it … by  the combination of your decision and faith in the power of Jesus in you.  You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength … (Philippians 4:13) ELGIN

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)