"...Give yourselves to God... surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes." Romans 6:13
Oh my, A bit scary (It just is people.), but as you lay it all down and surrender everything in your heart....well, ...
...God will grow your character~beautiful. I promise!
What I realize in me too though is that it is a daily laying it down.
Have you ever surrendered it all? What does that even mean? Where the choice lay in front of you to surrender all that you are in the midst of searing trials out of your control, with all your good and bad to find amazing?
I think that none of us can escape life's trials, temptations, sin, and just trying to make it through this life right and unmarred by the journey. The true thing is that if one chooses the journey of surrender there is true freedom. Yes, you are gonna cry and hurt, and no the journey does not end because of our humanness and selfishness, and well because life is always changing and we grow and hopefully our souls become more beautiful in character for the journey, but to find true joy in the walk that lasts is so worth it and you will find a solid, deep in your heart smile that is immovable. It takes time though.
I leaned in through so very much yuck in 2009...I am still learning. Bless your hearts as you read my posts...every one, smile and just encouraged me. The amazing thing I wish to tell you that I found that God was just standing by the water saying, "Keep your eyes on me, gently lay it all down..., one by one and let go (the good, the bad, and yes my baby, all the ugly too please!)". I held onto things because nothing made sense in severe trials. I held onto some things because I can be selfish and in honesty, sinful. Yes, people I had some crying fits with God through this...it was not pretty but that is just real and life! God embraced me and walked with me even when it was hard to breathe. He allowed me the chance to open my hands to the ends of my fingertips with all of me the good and the sin too even as tears streamed down my face in letting fear go and find a smile in letting go. I know it is still a process. He showed me what lessons to hold onto to grow in depth and good to be used later for Him alone. He gets the glory of my good! What I am humbled by is that Brave (Christ) stood bigger and is still in my soul than anything as He gently and continually asks me to let go of my all. So many precious people stood telling me to lean in and hear his gentle whisper and I would be ok. I have known God in my heart forever, but it was always performance based and not authentic. It is authentic now! Thank you God!!!!! I am so very amazed by this gentle whisper and cool way that God deals with us. He is a gentleman after all and I found that gentleman waiting to walk with me. Yes, there are still things to surrender and still big trials that I am facing. However, to feel brave in the midst for a girl like me that desires to become mature in my heart, a smile-filled woman and face all my fears and trials. To let God have room to make my life story a testimony. I am willing. Not that is an easy task because people it is not to find authentic. But worth every moment, most definitely with soul shine all over my heart, YES!
In the quiet of me there are these amazing souls that walked me through last year. You know who you are and I am so very grateful for you. So many of you just praying for me, allowing me to pray for you too. I am completely humbled and owe you so very much! I pray I can bless you back 100-fold.
Please forgive me. I have been off of blogworld for a while working, working and well.....working. But so grateful am I for the opportunities, I AM!
So, hi again. I have missed this place. I have missed each one of you.
I pray that your 2010 is going gently and beautifully with your soul.
I pray you blessed brilliantly in amazing soul-shine. Good and true like the sun shining on your heart warm when cold surrounds. Just praying you happy-good in every way.
The heart of worship is surrender. By Rick Warren
Surrender is an unpopular word, disliked almost as much as the word submission. It implies losing, and no one wants to be a loser.
Surrender evokes the unpleasant images of admitting defeat in battle, forfeiting a game, or yielding to a stronger opponent. The word is almost always used in a negative context. Captured criminals surrender to the authorities.
In our competitive world we're taught to never quit trying, never give up, and never give in - so we don't hear much about surrendering. If winning is everything, surrendering is unthinkable.
Yet, the Bible teaches us that rather than trying to win, succeed, overcome, and conquer, we should instead yield, submit, obey, and surrender.
And by surrendering to God, we enter into the heart of worship. This is true worship: bringing pleasure to God as we give ourselves completely to Him.
Surrendering is best demonstrated in obedience, cooperating with your Creator. You say, "Yes Lord" to whatever he asks of you.
In fact, "No, Lord" is a contradiction. You can't claim Jesus as your Lord when you refuse to obey him. Peter modeled surrender when, after a night of failed fishing, Jesus told him to try again: "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." Surrendered people obey God's word, even when it doesn't make sense.
God is not a cruel slave driver, or a bully who uses brute force to coerce us into submission. He doesn't try to break our will, but woos us to himself, so that we might offer it freely to him. God is a Lover and a Liberator, and surrendering brings freedom, not bondage.
When we completely surrender ourselves to Jesus, we discover that he is not a tyrant but a savior; not a boss, but a brother; not a dictator, but a friend.
p.s. I found a friend! Oh my, I pray you have too!
He is right there for you too. Know this, as He smiles gently waiting to take your hand and walk.
Image via: R. Hardy
