When Will I; When Will We . . . ? RERUN

For a couple days now I've felt led to run this post again; and would really encourage you to give these some thought, and let me know what you would add!

When Will I (we) . . .

~Take more precious my relationship with Christ than my relationship with recurrent sin(s)?

~Find my Savior more lovely than I do my sin?

~Allow His kingdom to come and rule in my actions, and His will be done; rather than my kingdom and my will?

~Be as aggrieved by my sin as He is?

~Rather in my heart to aggrieve my sin, than to aggrieve Him?

~Be holy even as He is holy?

~Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness rather than only doing so when it's convenient or best suits my needs?

~Rather boast in the cross of Christ, instead of my job, my salary, the car that I drive, the house in which I live, or my family and its position in the community?

~Answer His call to die (to my sin), in order that I may truly live?

~Default in faith; rather than in doubt?

~Be more in love with Christ and the grace He's given, than in love with my sin?

~Rather be bound to Him, than demand my freedom to exercise my will?

~Be in such a state of antithesis with the world of man that it becomes the thesis of my life?

~See that everything this world has to offer is nothing when compared to His riches in glory?

~Live as a mere sojourner in this land, recognizing my residence is elsewhere?

~Daily live the truth that greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world?

~Stop accepting (or acquiescing) to a paper mache crown when I've been promised one of gold?

~Stop substituting the truth for a lie?

~Choose to no longer be so reluctant to live by faith and not by sight?

~Give even a fraction of trust to God and His providence as I do to nearly any chair in which I sit without giving even a scintilla of thought as to whether it will hold and sustain, and not fail, me?

~Finally relinquish the driver's seat (or the remote control, eh guys?!) of my life to Him?

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly, Thou has brought me to the valley of vision, where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights; hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory. Let me learn by paradox - that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess all, that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, that to give is to receive, that the valley is the place of vision. (The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, Arthur Bennett [Banner Of Truth, 1988])