How to Surrender to God
A question that stirs thoughts of battle or losing in the minds of many. We are taught to live life to its fullest, to depend on ourselves, to conquer, to win, to overcome. If we can visualize or paint a picture of the outcome we desire we can succeed. God’s plan is quite the opposite.
It is the Holy Spirit that brings us to the cross and causes us to face the reality of our need to die to the world and sin. We can never live a life that is beyond our hopes until we have died to ourselves. Look at what a dear friend said regarding surrendering to God, “For me, this has been the greatest key to walking in joy, peace, and freedom is allowing Him to rid me of self (a lifetime process!)”
The joy of surrendering your life to God is something you must experience yourself. No one can explain it. You must experience what it means to surrender to God for yourself.
Surrender must come as a genuine response from your heart. Think of the issues you are currently wrestling with and then imagine I say to you, “Just surrender them to God and give Him control.” My wife of 27 years died when she was only 51 years old, and initially I was not ready to hear those words: “Just surrender everything to God and give Him control.” Those words would have seemed cruel at that time in my life. However, as God graciously reminded me over time, surrender is what He wants from us. His desire for my life is that I surrender to Him, giving Him complete control. (With time, it also became just what I wanted to do.)
It must also come as a genuine response from your heart. Think of where you are right now and then imagine I say to you, “Just surrender it to God and give Him control.” My wife of 27 years died when she was only 51 years old, and initially I was not ready to hear those words; “Just surrender everything to God and give Him control.” Those words would have seemed cruel at that time in my life. However, as God graciously reminded me over time, that is what He wants and that is His desire for my life, to surrender to Him, to give Him complete control. (With time, it also became just what I wanted to do.)
Think about how you are bearing the burdens of hurt, pain and emptiness in your life. God does not want you to live with those burdens. He wants you to give Him every hurt, every pain, and every situation you are going through. There is nothing in this world more important or more exciting than surrendering everything to God. Your surrendering to Him will lead to healing, transformation, and an abundant life, greater than you ever imagined possible.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverb 3:5-6