Christianity Oasis Forum

[Sylvia]

"His servants ye are to whom ye obey" (Romans 6:16)

"The first thing to do in examining the power that dominates me is to take hold of the unwelcome fact that I am responsible for being thus dominated.
If I am a slave to myself, I am to blame because at a point a way back I yielded to myself. Likewise, if I obey God I do so because I have yielded myself to Him.
Yield in childhood to selfishness, and you will find it the most enchaining tyranny on earth. There is no power in the human soul of itself to break the bondage of a disposition formed by yielding. Yield for one second to anything in the nature of lust (remember what lust is: "I must have it at once," whether it be the lust of the flesh or the lust of the mind)- once yield and though you may hate yourself for having yielded, you are a bondslave to that thing.
There is no release in human power at all but only in the Redemption. You must yield yourself in the utter humiliation to the only One Who can break the dominating power, viz., the Lord Jesus Christ- "He hath anointed me... to preach deliverance to all captives."
You find this out in the most ridiculously small ways- "Oh I can give that habit up when I like." You cannot, you will find that the habit absolutely dominates you because you yielded to it willingly. It is easy to sing-"He will break every fetter" and at the same time be living a life of obvious slavery to yourself. Yielding to Jesus will break every form of slavery in any human life. (Oswald Chambers)

Personal Note:
I have had a day of feeling sorry for myself. Yelled at the dog. Was snappy on the phone when my son called. I stopped everything and prayed. "Lord, what is wrong with me?" Just a few days ago I was told by the staff in the chemo center that I was an inspiration to the staff and the patients there. I know it wasn't me, believe me, I would rather be home with my dogs and my cat and not have to deal with anyone. But, God used me even while the drugs surged through my vains.
Now I face radiation on the 29th of this month. I am not afraid of it. Just had a day of feeling sorry for Sylvia (sounds like a country song!)
Then I read this. I realized I could yield to myself pity or give it all to the Lord. Yielding to the Lord takes us out of our comfort zone. Puts us places in ourselves we wouldn't chose to be. (like a cancer center!)
But we have to be willing to obey God, even if it means for us to suffer.
Whether mentally or physically or both. Suffering for Christ is a choice.
Luv
Sylvia