“I don’t know that many people who are completely and totally surrendered to God. I mean, not just today, but throughout history – there just aren’t that many people. Which leads me to think it’s just not possible.”
I had to admit that I didn’t know that many people either…actually, I don’t know any who are surrendered to God 100 percent of the time. I’m pretty sure those people are in heaven right now. We all have sin issues to struggle with until the day we’re done. There’s a bit of comfort in that, I think.
“The thing is,” I said, “it’s a daily kind of surrender. I wake up and I surrender my life to God, and then I do it again the next day, and the next…sometimes even moment by moment. It’s a constant choice.”
“So you’re telling me,” he said incredulously, taking another bite of the funnel cake between us, “that you are willing to totally surrender yourself every day to God, even though He lets bad stuff happen, even in your life?”
“Yep.”
“Why?”
“Because I know me. And I know the mistakes I’ve made when I’ve ignored Him and tried it my way, and how much pain I’ve caused myself, and how much I would have avoided had I just listened to Him.”
“What if He asked you to give up the one thing you loved most in the world. Would you do it?”
I had to pause. Would I? Have I? I took an instantaneous, honest appraisal of my life. At the time, I was working through the issue of finances…was I willing to completely surrender that? Or what if, in the future, He asked me to give up a relationship that I loved? I suddenly remembered that torturous feeling I get when I’m grappling with obedience, and how long it has taken me in years past to be willing to give up or do things He’s clearly called me to in total trust. I remembered times of agonizing and fighting until I finally threw up my hands in surrender…and later reaped a harvest.
Ultimately, yes, I would do it. I would surrender whatever He asked, however long it took me to do it. Because to ignore His call (i.e. to disobey) would mean to forego His best. And I know that whatever He asks me to give up, He is going to replace with something infinitely better.
That's the way He is.
Psalm 37:4-6
Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
musings from the journey (a girl discovering grace)
2 comments:
Yup, I have learned that I give willingly or I struggle until it's ripped from my bloody hands.
I trust that God put the desires of my heart in me, so he will give me exactly what my hearts desires are... and when I look back at the Good and awesome experiences in my life... it's Truth. When I look at the stuff I give up and lose... I learn that the desires were of a basal human nature and that there was pruning necessary to get me back to the Roots of the Spirit so that I could once again live in the Light.
Thanks so much for this post! It was exactly what I needed to hear!
Thank you for this today. I have been struggling alot lately..with pretty much everything. It's hard to put on a happy face everyday when you feel just like saying "NO" to God..I admit sometimes I have done that alot lately. Your blog post just brought me back where I need to be. so thanks and sorry for this long post! :)
Post a Comment