Who is on the Throne?

Tonight, while talking to a client of mine, I realized something profound. I have a-ha moments often times as I am working with a client, such as, a-ha 'Now I see why you are operating from an abandonment schema' or a-ha "It suddenly occurred to my why you are searching for acceptance in all the wrong places', and the list goes on and on. It happens when I least expect and it seems almost as if God is saying "Here Elisabeth, let me show you where I want to lead you next". It really is one of the coolest things that I experience in counseling, and it makes me feel so insignificant and so little, yet so led and protected all at once. How amazing is it to know and to feel that we are so little and so incapable yet so loved and so cared for by our Heavenly Father (even more than we realize at times). But, there are other a-ha moments when a client says something that triggers something in me, where I think a-ha 'I never realized that I do that same thing until now' or 'Wow you have really given me something to ponder in my own life'. Tonight was one of those nights.

One client of mine has shown immense growth by constantly asking "Who is on the Throne of my life?". For years, this client has been living to please family and friends in their life, and has missed out on the freedom of truly knowing Christ. While finally realizing one night that they has never actually let God sit in the throne of their life, I got to see the most amazing transformation happen; they began to start living more free and more grace-filled than ever before. It has been amazing and refreshing to see. We have progressed in therapy in ways I never knew were possible, but this week I wanted to challenge this person to go a little deeper. We were talking about how sometimes we get so wrapped up in controlling our lives and living up to standards set for us by family, friends, etc. that we unthinkingly take God out of his throne and replace him with ourselves. The whole way home (about 30 minutes) I racked my own brain about ways that I take God out of his throne and I put myself in it in order to (what I think is) control my life better than He can.

Proverbs 3:5-8 says: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise
in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be like healing to your
flesh and refreshment to your bones".

Healing and refreshment...simply by trusting in the Lord and by putting him on the throne of your life. I wonder how and when you might take God out of his throne and put yourself in it?