What does it mean to have total surrender? I believe that surrender is an opening of your life so fully and completely to God that you hold nothing back for yourself. It’s honesty at the highest level not only with yourself but with God as well. It’s this type of willing and open spirit that actually lets Jesus get into every part of your heart that may have been broken, damaged and trampled on. These hidden parts are the ones we protect from everyone and everything which can ultimately hold us back from the possibility of true healing taking place. To put it bluntly it’s a form of bondage and not freedom. The thought just occurred to me, that some reading this may be wondering how surrender can be a form of freedom.
The thought of someone having control on your life is never a pleasant thought anyone has. We seem as a people to struggle against authority. I often wonder if this concept is in direct correlation with the way we interacted with our parents as children. As I have people watched, it a curious thing to consider how some of these people’s parents raised them. If you think about it, the way we look, talk and respect authority has been shaped by our parents. After all, they were the first implementers of discipline we experienced. This seems to go a bit deeper when contemplating the idea of God – with total authority, wisdom and power. I think many of us look like defiant children stamping our foot on the ground when God doesn’t give us what we want and when we want it.
Question: have you ever been shopping and observed a bratty kid throwing themselves on the ground because they don’t get what they want? I know I have!! To be honest, it’s not pleasant site to behold! What about God –imagine how He feels when you react to him saying no to something you asked for. Isn’t it possible that we don’t always get what we want because it could potentially be in our best interest? In this instant I just flipped the script, because it's about His love for us - he wants the best for us. We can’t see into the future to fully know what is truly best for ourselves! However, when thinking about the creator of the universe forming each of us - he knows what He’s doing and He sees the BIG picture we cannot. Wouldn’t it behoove each of us to place our trust fully in Him?
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV
It really is no far stretch to consider why there are atheists in the world. They elevate themselves as a sort of God in their own right, as a byproduct, making each the master and declarer of their own destiny. As far as I know, no one knows the future or what will happen in the next minute, hour or day. Can you really be the master and commander of your own future if you don’t know what tomorrow will bring? What happens when we find ourselves shipwrecked in this condition? I am now expected to get myself out of a mess of my own creation? (Even out of a mess not of my creation!) Let's take the high rate of anxiety depression and suicide in the world - are they capable of getting themselves out of this hole all by themselves? (there are so many other things beyond these 3 examples – put your own struggles in this scenario) Do you have within you all that it takes to overcome or solve the problem all on your own? What other factors are needed to be present?
Trust is a major key here; you have to be vulnerable to your creator to be honest about everything you truly struggle with and cannot do on your own. This takes religion out of the equation immediately because it goes so much deeper than the surface - it goes straight for the heart. I think this part is a huge hindrance for many, as we like to think we have control over everything. The ideology of religion for many is nothing more than a crutch rather than a solution to the problem. Religion never goes beyond the surface and therefore never gets to the true root of the problem. This is the where and how a relationship with God can be formed directly and why it is so profoundly beneficial.
Last night, while I was listening to a pastor describe how God feels about us; he explained we are God’s masterpiece – created with intention and for a purpose. Due to our own sinful nature we often pervert and damage the work of art God created and longs for us to be. Think about it – do you think God intended for anyone to be murderers, rapists, thieves, child abusers…??? (Dare I even say liars, back stabbers, a gossip lets add these to that last as well. Did he intend for us to partake in these action as well?) Absolutely NOT! Sin can seem good and lure us in for a season but what happens when the season is over? Once partaken in, the sin seems to consume the person only making them sicker and more decrepit. God is outstretching His hand but they keep telling Him no but continue to say in their hearts that they have the better plan. Really?
I had an illustration a few months ago while I was outside during my lunch break. There was a woodpecker that kept flying into the window of a building. In his struggle to get inside the way he thought possible, he pecked at the glass in various spots at different angles but to no avail – he could not get in. At what point does that woodpecker actually give up and realize that perhaps this wasn’t the path he was intended for? What about us? Many of us do the same exact thing – we keep banging our heads trying to solve our own problems at what point do we acknowledge that we need to let go, we need help - we need to surrender to the One who can set us on the right path?
The most important aspect is allowing God to get into the deep depth of our hearts and chisel and chip away all of the things that hold us back from having a free relationship with Him; in order to restore/ rescue and redeem the masterpiece we were intended to be. In allowing God to help you deal and heal you actually work through all of the issues that may be holding you back. With His help you are no longer held captive and in chains. Rather, you would experience freedom that comes from giving God all of your burdens/ problems / issues and letting him heal you.
Another example: I have seen friends of mine over the years go into relationship after relationship never giving themselves time to first reflect on what happened, get over it and let God heal the heart. (in most cases the break-ups were not pretty) Instead, they masked the pain thinking that the next relationship would satisfy that hole in their heart. Unfortunately, what actually happened was they brought all of the problems from their past relationships into the new relationship and so perpetuates the vicious cycle. This example happens more times than I care to talk about; but relationships are not the only arena these types of behaviors manifest themselves. The same can be said for many types of things in our own life! What things are you putting in the place of God? In this example, relationships cannot fill that God shaped void or make you happy. You first have to be happy with you first and foremost and you do that by building a strong and solid relationship with the Lord, your creator. He is the mirror to help you see your blind spots and the parts that are broken in need of healing. By giving these parts of yourself over, Jesus provides the freedom and the peace with a clean slate to embark on a new journey that God places before us. Then comes that Joy and happiness that only He can give and no one has the power to steal!
Cast ALL your problems, fears and failures at the feet of Jesus!!!!
Psalms 55:22 “ Cast all your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.”
I have learned that the things I have put blood, sweat and tears into end up being the most amazing depictions of Christ’s love, power and victory in my own life. Think about it – Jesus did not choose the easy way to save our souls! Not by any means! He gave everything He had because he deemed us worthy of dying for.
I heard a question not long ago, from a pastor in Idaho – (his name escapes me at the moment) – he asked “When you get to heaven do you want God to show you what you could have been if you had lived a life surrendered fully to Him?” I am a visual person I instantly constructed the scene – there you are before God Almighty He calls you forward and then a big screen comes down. There it is in plain color for all to see every decision you made and every chance you threw away. Then he says this is who you are but this is what I intended you to be! At that moment, you realize the miracle you missed out on! Ok I know a bit dramatic but it hit me this hard and I have not been able to get this question out of my mind ever since. I keep asking myself what are the important things to me here on earth? What is holding me back from total surrender? – right at this moment, will they stand the test of eternity? Are they going to make me a better human being? Or is it a selfish pursuit / desire?
Philippians 4:8 – Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about these things.
It’s a very daunting task to get yourself out of the way! I have heard it said that “I am always on my mind!!” This statement is so true! Sometimes, it is possible that we get in our own way of achieving greatness.
To revisit the question I opened this post with: what does a person in total surrender look like? I think it can be summed up as someone who has such a hunger and a thirst for God that their actions reflect this fact as much as possible. Although knowingly never perfect, there is a genuine desire to try and reflect Christ’s example by loving people. Someone who is striving daily to be all that God has designed you to be – to live it out full heartedly. That way when you are face to face with Jesus there won’t be much left undone! He can say to you – job well done! Don’t be deceived into thinking that living totally for yourself is going to satisfy you – you were made for so much more!! Don't be afraid to surrender your life to your creator - it will change your life in a way you never imagined it would!
As I just finished and re-read this paragraph Jesus said the same exact thing as he commanded us in Matthew 22: 37-39 “Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “love your neighbor as yourself.”
