Sell It

“Sell all that you have…” (Luke 18:22). In other words, rid yourself before God of everything that might be considered a possession until you are a mere conscious human being standing before Him, and then give God that. That is where the battle is truly fought— in the realm of your will before God.” Oswald Chambers

Either we sell all that we have, or we are unwilling. When we are unwilling, and we are in Christ, God often takes it, that we would be conformed into the image of the Son.

I have been in Sweden for 13 days now. On the 9th day, I had another groin injury, this time which affects my non-repaired and healthy side. I played one and a half games. In all of 2018, I played in four meaningful games. Six others were reserve games. I my well be done for 2018. Maybe for my career.

In my time on the sideline or alone in my apartment recently, I reflected on a lot. I inquired of my motivations. And I found something disturbing. I found this line of thinking within myself.

“Look at me! I live in a different country and I humbled myself enough to learn the language and to try to become like them. Look at me! I am in a “hard place” for the church, for the nations.” Yes, these reasons are noble and biblical, but they can quickly become riddled with pride and emptied by self-centeredness. And I now realize that this has happened to me. That I have done this!

We are so prone to corrupt good gifts from God. We believe we can make them our own or take glory for ourselves. While we must rid ourselves of everything but him, we must also rid ourselves of the pride that can come from ridding ourselves of everything. We may very well become poor for the sake of the Kingdom, but it may be that we actually become poor in the things of the world in order that we would appear rich in the Kingdom and be seen and commended by others for it. You can live in a correct position in an incorrect posture. Posture can corrupt position.

Unless we repent and pray and seek him, we will be stuck. The alternative to enjoying God alone is to cling to the things of the world. But you will not have all of God. You will live in sin. You will be anxious and always without peace, because deep down you know that you can and will lose these things, but you think your tight grip can save them. Peace, joy, and hope come from having God alone. Anything else is passing away.