Beautifully Refined: Growing in Christ Day by Dayनमुना

Have you ever done something way outside your norm, only to realize you learned a really valuable lesson in the process?

I grew up hearing horror stories about motorcycles—my dad got in a serious accident as a teen and had to spend six months with his jaw wired shut, and my mom got knocked off the back of a motorcycle when the car in front of her stopped short. 

But when I got a summer job at a downtown theater, a friend offered to give me a ride home every day—as long as I didn’t mind riding on his motorcycle. Brett was a good friend, and a really safe, cautious, responsible driver, and he always wore a helmet and required me to wear one, too. Nervous but curious, I agreed to try it.

“A couple of things,” Brett said seriously as I fastened the helmet on tight. “Try not to move a bunch. Keep your arms around me, and lean when I lean, even if you get scared. Got it?”

I wrapped my arms around his waist, calmed my 'wigglies', and soon we were off. The cool evening air felt glorious on my bare arms, and I did as I was told—leaned with him, moved with him, did my best to trust him. I had to surrender myself to Brett’s lead for us to get to our destination safely. When we arrived at my house, I felt strangely exhilarated and giddy from the experience.

Sometimes life is that way, isn’t it? We’re so used to being in control, but there are times when it’s better to give over the proverbial reins to someone else and surrender. I wouldn’t want anyone but a pilot flying my plane, after all, and I wouldn’t have done Brett any good as a motorcycle backseat driver. In fact, that could have caused a wreck.

When it comes to our spiritual life, surrender is even more important. We must give our all to Jesus when we follow Him. We must acknowledge Him as the complete Lord and Savior of our life, the only path, and option.

In his letter to the early church in Rome, the apostle Paul told us to offer our bodies to God as living sacrifices. This means surrendering to God’s will and plans.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus told His disciples, “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will save it” (Luke 9:23-24).

Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, said, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

A few chapters later, he reminded us, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24).

We must die to self in order to live. When we worship, when we serve, when we give, we must give everything, no holding back, to get life in return. But oh, what a life! Eternal, glorious, and perfect bliss, promised to us forever and ever.

Are you wavering in your faith or hesitant about giving over every part of your life to Jesus? There’s no halfway. Just wrap your arms around Him, lean in, and surrender. He’ll take care of everything.

~Jessica Brodie