What do you want?

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

"do you seek great things for yourself?" (Jeremiah 45:5)

Are you seeking great things for yourself, instead of seeking to be a great person? God wants you to be in a much closer relationship with Himself than simply receiving His gifts--He wants you to get to know Him. Even some large thing we want is only incidental; it comes and it goes. But God never gives us anything incidental. There is nothing easier than getting into the right relationship with God, unless it is not God you seek, but only what He can give you.

If you have only come as far as asking God for things, you have never come to the point of understanding the least bit of what surrender really means. You have become a Christian based on  your own terms. You protest, saying, " I asked God for the Holy Spirit, but He didn't give me the rest and he peace I expected." And instantly God puts His finger on the reason-- you are not seeking the Lord at all; you are seeking something for yourself. Jesus said, "ask, and it will be given to you..."(Matthew 7:7). Ask God for what you want and do not be concerned about asking for the wrong thing, because as you draw ever closer to Him, you will cease asking for things altogether. "Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him" (Matthew 6:8) Then why should you ask? So that you may get to know Him.

Are you seeking great things for yourself? Have you said, "Oh, Lord, completely fill me with you Holy Spirit"? If God does not it is because you are not totally surrendered to Him; there is something you still refuse to do. Are you prepared to ask yourself what it is you want from God and why you want it? God always ignores you present level of completeness. He is not concerned about making you blessed and happy right now, but He's continually working out His ultimate perfection for you--"...that  they may be one just as We are one..." (John 17:22)