Sister, how often do you find yourself trying to juggle life? I don t know about you, but I plan, strategize, and strive, and try to work things out my way. We hold onto our dreams, our hurts, our anxieties, and our control and we forget that there's a better way, a more peaceful way – the way of surrender.
I've wrestled with control all my life convinced that if I just held on tight enough, everything would turn out perfectly But life, as it often does, threw me curveballs. Health scares, layoff and relationship issues and in all those challenges I tried to hold on with my control.
It was in those moments of brokenness that I truly began to understand the power of surrender.
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NKJV)
This verse has become a lifeline to me. It's a reminder that I don't have to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. God wants me to cast my cares upon Him. He wants me to surrender.
Surrender isn't weakness; it's strength. It's acknowledging that God is sovereign, that He knows what's best, even when we don't. It's trusting that His plans are greater than our own, even when we can't see the bigger picture.
Think about Abraham. God asked him to sacrifice his son, Isaac, the son he waited for years to have. Imagine the turmoil, the heartbreak, the sheer impossibility of that request. Yet, Abraham, in faith, prepared to obey. He surrendered his own desires, his own understanding, to God. And what happened? God provided a ram as a substitute, sparing Isaac's life. (Genesis 22)
Abraham's story isn't just a Old Testament story; it's a powerful example of what surrender looks like. It's not always easy. It might mean letting go of a dream, forgiving someone who hurt you deeply, or facing a fear that's been holding you back. But in that surrender, we find a freedom we never knew existed.
For me, surrender has become a daily practice. It's not a one-time event, but a continual laying down of my will and picking up of His. It is something I ask God to help me with daily. It's starting my day with prayer, asking God to guide my steps. It's surrendering my anxieties, my fears, my frustrations, knowing that He is bigger than any of them.
Sometimes, surrender looks like letting go of the need to control every detail. Sometimes, it looks like trusting that even in the midst of uncertainty, God is in control. Sometimes, it looks like simply saying, "Jesus, I surrender all."
Sister, I encourage you today, take everything to the Lord. Your hopes, your dreams, your fears, your failures, your victories – everything. He's waiting with open arms to receive it all. He's waiting to give you the peace that surpasses all understanding.
Let's choose surrender today, and every day. Let's allow God to work in our lives in ways we never thought possible. Let's experience the true freedom that comes from laying down our burdens at His feet.
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20 (ESV)
