Surrender

Have you ever been in a situation where, after receiving the details, you came to a conclusion about what was going on and how you would handle it, only to find out later that so much more was left out of the equation? Those crucial missing details caused you to miss the mark in your handling of the matter, so you once again vowed to go to God first the next time and never make that mistake again. However, the overwhelming need to control the happenings around you would eventually present another opportunity, sometimes mere moments after the last, only for you to rinse and repeat the cycle.

I don’t know about you, but I feel most secure when I think I have control of a situation. I emphasize the word “think” because, due to our carnal minds' limitations, we never really know the totality of everything going on in a given situation.

Jesus taught that to truly follow him, we must be willing to deny ourselves and take up our cross every day (Luke 9:23). He then says that we are to cast our cares on him, for his yolk is easy and his burden light. So, what’s the deal? Why would he ask us to carry something and then cast it down?

Well, the “cross” Jesus is speaking of is actually our will. Although it seems weightless, it can become quite heavy when we have the free will to do whatever we want to generate immediate action at any given time. Yet, deciding to hold off on taking action (with the exception of praying) can sometimes take an incredible amount of self-control. It is a weight so heavy that Jesus offers to carry it for us when we cast it to him and let him handle it.

Spiritual Practice #1

SURRENDER

What was your intention when you first gave your life to Christ? For many of us, it was to be as good as we could so that God would end our suffering, bless our plans, and hopefully make our lives a whole lot better. However, God never promised that. He did, however, promise that if we truly surrendered our lives, he would then give us the life he planned for us.

This form of surrender is not a one-time event that takes place at the altar. According to the passage above, this action must take place daily and is more so a mindset and intentional disposition of one’s heart. This can be done during your morning prayer time or while you’re still laying in bed, building up momentum to officially get up. The point is to acknowledge that you have submitted yourself and your will to whatever it is God wants to do with BOTH!

Challenge: Take a moment to watch this short video on simple ways to start your day with a surrendered heart. Then, write out a simple prayer acknowledging your resolve to surrender yourself to God’s leading, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Say that prayer before you begin these next few devotionals and at other points throughout the day when needed.