All of my life I have been surrendering. The problem is that I have been surrendering to the wrong things. I have been surrendering to my parents, my siblings, my spouse, my children, my bosses, my colleagues and even my friends. I have been surrendering to society and its values and expectations. I have been surrendering to fear. It has taken me a long, long time to realize I have been wrong. I only need to surrender to One. That one is God. With the help of Jesus and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, I am on my way.
How it started
I truly started to embrace my beliefs, my spirituality and who I am as an adult. I was married and had three children before I even began to recognize who I am on a spiritual level. Remembering that life is a faith journey, I am fine with that. Some may even say better late than never!
I have worked in several churches, including in an Internal Audit Department for a large archdiocese. People who have worked for a church as an employee know that your faith is tested quite regularly while working for a church. People can be very unkind and often have unchristian expectations of your time and undermine your value. Working with a specific pastor is what truly fed my growth in spirituality. That is where my surrender truly started.
What does it mean to Surrender
To truly know how to surrender, you need to understand what it means to surrender. The online dictionary definition is, “cease resistance to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority.” Surrendering to God in faith is so much more! Afterall, God is neither an enemy nor an opponent. Some of the difficulties we face are in trust. It is often difficult for us to trust anyone but ourselves. I am no different. I KNOW what I will do and how I will react. Even those people I love and have known for years can sometimes sway in a different way than I expect. That can weaken trust, if I allow it.
The same can be said about surrendering to God. We are often so worried and concerned about the future that we cannot live in the present and trust the future to God, thus surrendering to him. This article in the Madison Catholic Herald does a great job of creating understanding on this topic.
It’s in the Bible
When we look to the Bible (usccb.org), we will find Romans 12:2, “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect”, James 4:7, “So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” and Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the LORD—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.” These are just a sampling of scripture directing us to surrender to God.
Let’s talk about Surrender
Surrendering to God is having trust in His plan. Knowing that living now will not make living later more difficult. It is living in gratitude for every moment, opportunity and gift received. When you surrender, you understand the person God created you to be and you live that purpose. Your purpose, whatever God has chosen for you, will equip you to build up His Kingdom. It will look different in each of us. You may not be able to see it in others immediately, so look for it. Most importantly, look for it in yourself. The skills or strengths you have been blessed with can and should be applied (or given) for the Glory of God.
How to Surrender
My surrender is an ongoing event. I am not quite there yet. I am making progress. Here is what is helping me:
Pray, pray, pray
Pray at every opportunity. Pray in gratitude, pray for needs, pray for guidance, pray for others.
Ask God for guidance in all things
Before making decisions, humbly ask God for guidance. Be sure to listen to what He has to say. It may not be what you want to hear, but giving in is what surrender is about. Ensure you are discerning for His voice.
Surround yourself with like minds, ideally people who have surrendered or are in the process of surrendering
People you interact with on a regular basis influence your thoughts and actions. Intentionally connect with and regularly interact with people on the same path with the same beliefs and values.
Remember who God created you to be
In surrendering, you must be who God created you to be. You cannot truly surrender unless you give in to the purpose He created you for. God has a plan for you, your service and how you contribute to His kingdom here on Earth. Stay true to His plan and surrendering will become a way of life.
Have faith
The path to surrender will most likely be long. You may make progress and then fall back. Check in regularly with your heart and your mind to evaluate your level of commitment to surrendering. God knows our humanity and he loves us for it.
Remember Philippians 4:13, “ I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.” and Matthew 19:26, “Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” (usccb.org)
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