Who's on the throne?

I've been reading The Pursuit of God, by A. W. Tozer,  on my Iphone (most ereaders have a version of this for less than $1). I am being challenged beyond anything I would have imagined. Chapter two, The Blessedness of Possessing Nothing, really hits home and has me examining my heart in many areas.


I realize that there are many idols in my heart.  The past few months I've thought about this and tried to change some of these ways.  It is, however, impossible for ME to do, as strong as my resolve may be.  So these few months, I have been more aware of them, and acknowledged them, but haven't gotten much further in the process of dismantling them and having God reign on the throne of my heart.


Now I am entering a great struggle, a struggle to surrender.  It would be so much easier if there was a step by step plan that I could follow to get my heart right.  However, only through surrendering, will anything be accomplished.  I simply have to loosen the grip on all that I treasure and allow God to have it all and for Him to occupy the throne of my heart.


This has been a very emotional process for me as I struggle to trust Him as Lord and His ways higher than my ways.  I'm praying that He would open my eyes to the idols I construct, and that one by one, I could let go of them and He could reign in their place.


Here are a few quotes from the chapter:


"There is within the human heart a tough fibrous root of fallen life whose nature is to possess, always to possess. It covets "things" with a deep and fierce passion.  The pronouns "my" and "mine" look innocent enough in print, but their constant and universal use is significant.  ... God's gifts now take the place of God, and the whole course of nature is upset by the monstrous substitution."


"There can be no doubt that the possessive clinging to things is one of the most harmful habits in the life."


"We are often hindered from giving up our treasures to the Lord out of fear for their safety; this is especially true when those treasures are loved relatives and friends.  But we need have no such fears. Our Lord came not to destroy but to save.  Everything is safe which we commit to Him, and nothing is really safe which is not so committed."


"Let him come to God in full determination to be heard.  Let him insist that God accept his all, that He take things out of his heart and Himself reign there in power.  It may be he will need to become specific, to name things and people by their names one by one.  If he will become drastic enough he can shorten the time of his travail from years to minutes and enter the good land long before his slower brethren who coddle their feelings and insist upon caution in their dealings with God."


"If we are set upon the pursuit of God He will sooner or later bring us to this test."