Day 7

For many years now, I’ve consistently spent the first fifteen minutes of the day alone in the Lord’s Presence, and it has been life-changing. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that prayer doesn’t have to be complicated. Usually, I approach God with whatever is on my heart, and my prayers are very simple, like a child asking a parent for something they need or want.

For the remainder of the forty days of this devotional, we’re going to walk through some “simple prayers,” as I call them. These are not meant to be the way you must pray, but rather a way you could pray. They are simple prayers, but they are also sample prayers or examples of things to say when you seek God in the morning. The ultimate goal is for you to deepen your own relationship with God, which means you’ll discover how you pray the best and what works for you. My hope is that these short prayers will be a launchpad for you to develop greater intimacy with God as you approach Him in childlike faith.

The first simple prayer is this: “Jesus, I surrender my will to Yours.” This unassuming prayer holds the potential to be the most powerful one you pray, not only in the morning but throughout the day. Surrender is an act of worship. It unlocks your heart to experience God’s intimate Presence. By surrendering your life to Him, you yield control to the Creator of the Universe, God Almighty. Your existence is no longer your own; it has been redeemed.

The term “surrender” might carry negative connotations for some people. Society and culture say that surrender is bad, that you must always win, conquer, rule. But your relationship with God is not meant to be one of competition. He is for you, not against you. When you surrender to Him, you acknowledge His preeminence in your life. You recognize that He is Good, Powerful, Right, present, and involved. There is nothing negative about that! This is the kind of surrender that a small child feels when they fall asleep in their parent's arms, knowing they are safe and loved.

Surrender extends to your entire being—heart, mind, thoughts, plans, decisions, and emotions. In this act of the will, you grant lordship to God over every facet of your existence and you yield to the Guidance of the Holy Spirit.

This trusting, loving, voluntary surrender of yourself to God is an immediate pathway to intimacy. Try it this morning. Give God everything you have, everything you are, everything you plan to do and to be. Pray, “Jesus, I surrender my will to Yours.”

Questions for Reflection

1. What does it mean to you to surrender your life to Jesus?
2. How might surrendering to Jesus lead to greater intimacy? What other benefits do you think surrender could bring to you?
3. What specific areas do you choose to surrender to God today?