When We Surrender God Commits

I remember playing competitive games as a child and I would hear the other children say, “Do you surrender?” Or as an adult, many friends have said to me over the years that they had to surrender to a situation because there was no more energy to give and they were fed up. I have been in that position, myself.

It is almost like we are led to believe that surrender is a negative thing, that we have been defeated, we have lost, we are not able to win the game, the war or even the attacks in life. But this simply is a lie of the enemy and not a truth of God.

We may get to the point where we feel fed up and cannot go on giving our attention to a thing or situation, but that is where the magic happens. This is the point at which we let go, be the bigger person, release any stress or anxiety and hand it over. It is in the letting go that we have found freedom.

Now, if only we could have let go quicker and not suffered the pain, stress, anger or anxiety of holding on to that situation for as long as we did. Well, there is good news and that is we can, through the love God has for us.

Surrendering to God is a beautiful thing. When we surrender to Him, we show that we need Him, we submit ourselves to trusting in His plan for our lives. Psalms 68:19, ‘Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who bears our daily burdens’. God wants you to lean on him, we are told this in Proverbs 3:5 ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding’.

I recently had a situation that I needed to let go, I needed to surrender it to the Lord. Almost two years ago I applied for my United States citizenship, and I was told the processing time would be around three months. I was excited as this meant my son who was under 18 at the time would become a citizen with me. As time passed, I grew more anxious and almost two years later I received a letter stating that my interview date was scheduled for a week after my son turned 18. I felt sick to my stomach and my anxiety went through the roof. I didn’t want to reapply for him and spend thousands of dollars and wait another two years to get him situated. 

I needed to stop the madness of the cycle of anxiety and sadness. I knew I had to commit to trusting the Lord and that meant I had to surrender the burden and lay it at His feet. I had to remember and lean into God’s promises, I had to catch my thoughts and redirect them to scripture. I had to cast down any negativity around me and more simply put, I had to trust that the Lord’s plan was greater than mine, no matter the outcome.

Surrendering is not an easy process, but it is doable, and I did it.

‘Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans’ (Proverbs 16:3).

The Lord was gracious enough to answer my prayers, my interview was moved, and my son joined me in becoming a citizen before his 18th birthday. Praise Jesus! I want to point out an important truth in my life and that is: whenever I have surrendered to the Lord, and I am accepting of whatever outcome He has for me, it always seems to go in my favor or far better than I imagined. 

When you are holding onto something so tightly that it consumes you, it essentially becomes and idol, including negative thoughts. I know it might sound a little strange that our thoughts can be idols, but when we are focusing incessantly or believing in something more than believing in God’s word and truth, we are practicing idolatry.

You must not have any other god but me.

You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods…

- Deuteronomy 5:7-9

God wants you to focus on Him and only Him.

‘If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’ (John 8:31-32).

So, what is happening in your life? What do you need to surrender to the Lord? How can you catch yourself giving credit to a thought instead of resting in God’s truth for your life? 

I encourage you not to dilute your faith with what is happening around you. Rather, read, hear and know God’s word, surrender and commit your mind and heart to your Heavenly Father that loves you and knows what is best for you. 

Remember it is God and You.