Monday, October 26, 2015

Waving the White Flag

(by Lara Cook)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.  Proverbs 3:5-6

The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines surrender as: to agree to stop fighting, hiding, resisting, etc., because you know that you will not win or succeed; : to give the control or use of (something) to someone else; to allow something (such as a habit or desire) to influence or control you.  When we apply the word surrender to our relationship with God, it means to completely give up our own will, thoughts, ideas, plans, deeds, family, etc… The list goes on and on. 
I don’t think I have ever really thought much about the word surrender until lately.  There is a drastic difference between praying and asking God for things we want and actually surrendering everything to Him.  There are many aspects of surrender as listed in the definition above:
  • To agree to stop fighting… Quit fighting God for the control of your life and trials. 
  • To agree to stop hiding… Don’t hide from God.  It is not possible and it can’t be done.  He sees you and knows everything. 
  • To agree to stop resisting… The sooner you quit resisting His plan and finally give it all over to Him you will have much more peace. 
  • To give the control or use of to someone else (God!) – Give it to Him!  He is so much more qualified than you are!
  • To allow something (God!) to influence or control you – Allow Him to influence or control you.  Give Him the access and permission to take over now. 
Sometimes when we pray we actually just tell God how we want everything to be done.  We like to ask for specific things, and there is nothing wrong with praying for something specifically.  But we have to be willing to accept whatever answer God sees as best for us.  I know that I relinquish my petitions to God but I look down and my fists are still clenched.  I still have hold of at least a little corner of my burden.  That is where worry gets in and takes over your life if you are not careful.  God has a way of bringing us to a place where we have to finally let go completely.  It suddenly burns our hands like hot coals and we can’t hang on to it any longer. 
Sweet Surrender
Faith is important but surrender is more than faith.  Surrender is the last step.  Having faith is trusting God but to surrender is to completely put it into His hands.  It is to completely stop wrestling Him for control of the situation and release it to Him.  It is to unclench your fists and let Him have it all.  It takes a lot of faith to really surrender all the situations and people in your life to God. Only then will you experience real peace and rest. 

Scripture to claim:
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

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