SPEECHLESS WITH SORROW?

From the pen of Oswald Chambers -- My Utmost for His Highest

"The rich young ruler went away from Jesus speechless with sorrow, having nothing to say in response to Jesus' words. He had no doubt about what Jesus had said or what it meant, and it produced in him a sorrow with no words with which to respond. Have you ever been there? Has God's Word ever come to you, pointing out an area of your life, requiring you to yield to Him? Maybe He has pointed out certain personality qualities, desires, interests, or possibly relationships of your heart and mind. If so, then you have often been speechless with sorrow. The Lord will not go after you, and He will not plead with you. But ever time He meets you
at the place where He has pointed, He will simply repeat His words, saying, 'If you really mean what you say, these are the conditions . . .
'

'Sell all that you have . . . ' (Luke 18:23) 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 -- the the realm of your will before God. Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus
wants than to Jesus Himself? If so, you are likely to hear one of His harsh and unyielding statements that will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is difficult -- it is only easy when it is heard by those who have His nature in them. Beware of allowing anything to soften the
harsh words of Jesus Christ.I can be so rich in my own poverty, or in the awareness of the fact that I am a nobody, that I will never be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Or I can be so rich in the awareness that I am somebody that I will never be a disciple. Am I willing to be destitute and poor even in my sense of awareness of my destitution and poverty? If not, that is why I become
discouraged. Discouragement is disillusioned self-love, and self-love may be love for my devotion to Jesus -- not love for Jesus Himself."

Interesting words for your consideration today from one of the great devotional authors.