Adventures of the Short Stack: Wednesday's Word!

I only have one post between last Wednesday's Word and this one. Tune in tomorrow and you'll see why! :)

I learned something recently . . . I can get pretty irritated pretty quickly. Actually, I knew that already, I just wasn't sure WHY. Now I know the reason - it's that I want my own way! Plain & simple, huh? Unfortunately, it isn't plain & simple to deal with. It's an ugly truth about me. About all of us, actually. Because deep down, if we really look, we all want our own way.

Oswald Chambers wrote, "The passion of Christianity is that I deliberately sign away my own rights and become a bond-slave of Jesus Christ." My Utmost for His Highest

Did you notice that key word "deliberately"? It has to be an intentional action. I have to make the choice, the sacrifice, deny myself, whatever you want to call it. But it sure isn't going to happen naturally. No one has the human ability to do it on their own, at least not on a continual basis. But we are called to do it. It's in the Word, this business about being a bond-servant of Christ:

1) Christ purchased me - Acts 20:28 "Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with his own blood.

2) He owns me - I Pet 2:9 "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

3) He gives to me & takes from me - Job 1:21 "Naked I came from my mother's womb & naked I will depart. The Lord gave & the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."

Job 2:10 "'You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?' In all this, Job did not sin in what he said."

4) All because He loves me & wants the best for me.

5) If all of the above is true, and I believe it is based on His Word, I don't have the right to have my own way! Luke 9:23 "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself & take up his cross daily & follow me."

But sometimes, actually, most of the time, I have to get out of the way so He can do what needs done! Too often I'm more concerned about being comfortable & avoiding trouble and I miss the opportunity to be a bond-servant of Christ. That, for sure, is something to work on. But how?

Again, it's recognizing & being aware of when I'm doing this. Catching myself, confessing my sin, and allowing the Holy Spirit to change me. Are you noticing a common theme in a lot of these things I'm writing? It shouldn't be about ME, but so often I make it about ME. My goal is to make it about HIM more and more. . .