You Are Not Your Own

Today I was thinking of how often I've brooded and pouted because things never seemed to work out the way I intended for them to. How often have I prayed, "Not my will, but yours Lord" and yet still stung with bitterness and anger when I didn't get what I wanted? 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says "Do you not know that.......you are not your own; you were bought with a price...". Rather than try to stumble around and think of how to address this subject, I want to just remind everyone of what Oswald Chambers says in his very popular daily devotional, "My Utmost For His Highest":

There is no such thing as a private life, or a place to hide in this world, for a man or woman who is intimately aware of and shares in the sufferings of Jesus Christ. God divides the private life of His saints and makes it a highway for the world on one hand and for Himself on the other. No human being can stand that unless he is identified with Jesus Christ. We are not sanctified for ourselves. We are called into intimacy with the gospel, and things happen that appear to have nothing to do with us. But God is getting us into fellowship with Himself. Let Him have His way. If you refuse, you will be of no value to God in His redemptive work in the world, but will be a hindrance and a stumbling block.

The first thing God does is get us grounded on strong reality and truth. He does this until our cares for ourselves individually have been brought into submission to His way for the purpose of His redemption. Why shouldn't we experience heartbreak? Through those doorways God is opening up ways of fellowship with His Son. Most of us collapse at the first grip of pain. We sit down at the door of God's purpose and enter a slow death through self-pity. And all the so-called Christian sympathy of others helps us to our deathbed. But God will not. He comes with the grip of the pierced hand of His Son, as if to say, "Enter into fellowship with Me; arise and shine". If God can accomplish His purposes in this world through a broken heart, then why not thank Him for breaking yours?

I've struggled, like many, for years with anger, bitterness, envy and other ego-centric, selfish sinful behavior that takes the focus off of Jesus and places it squarely on myself and my circumstances. Over the years I've tried to learn and am still trying to learn how to surrender completely as my Savior surrendered His all for me. My Lord has promised me in Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Even when its raining, I will remember to praise the Lord God for allowing me to share in His suffering and to be a part of the accomplishment of His holy purposes.

It's raining in my bedroom
Most every night.
Massive, crushing drops
Keep knocking out my light.

My rain-catchers are everywhere,
My room looks a wreck,
Sometimes I punch at the drops furiously,
It has no effect.

Still I try to match the storm
Fury for fury.
My fate I won't accept,
My fear I can't bury.

The tempest has settled in,
A Lion licking a thick, hard bone.
I have dreams, wishes impossible,
The rain has its own.