Letting Go

For some reason, when i walked into chapel this morning, I knew that the message was going to cut right to a soft spot. And I was so right.
Chris Williamson spoke this morning on when Jesus healed the boy possessed of a spirit, told in Mark 9. He made the point today that though I, as a Christian, can never be possessed by an evil spirit, (I have been sealed off with the Holy Spirit when I accepted salvation) it is possible for the evil spirits to oppress and depress me. The devil and his helpers just love to see a Christian stumble. They love to see a Christian lose hope and turn away from God. Through the speaking today, I was reminded of the areas in my life where I am letting the devil oppress me. I am so stubborn in accepting that God has a bigger plan for my future than I can accomplish in my own strength. I am so busy trying to live the life I think I want, and not letting go and saying, "God, I know that your ways are better than mine. Show me. I surrender."
Sometimes, my oppression appears in the form of not letting go of relationships that I should.
Sometimes my oppression comes from being silent.
Sometimes my oppression comes from going back to things that I swore I never would.

But I am making a commitment to God today that I am done. I am through with believing that I know all the answers. I am done going against my conscience. I am finished with being a push-over. I am absolutely done with living anything short of the life that I am called to live.

Some quotes to live by:
"Faith in God includes faith in His timing."
"When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place."
"You can't start the next chapter if you keep re-reading the last one."

God, please grant me the strength to stop doing things that I know I should not do. Please allow me to accept that you are going to work everything out in my life just as it should be. Help me to walk away from things that are bringing me down and not bringing glory to You. Forgive me for sins that I have knowingly committed and chosen to act upon anyways. Rid me of the evils in my life that oftentimes take me down the wrong path. Please help me to stand strong. A thousand times I've failed, Lord, and still, your mercy remains. Thank you so much for that truth.
Amen.