I’ve always been a sports fanatic. The comradery of team, the growth through practice, the thrill of competition…I love it all! The Apostle Paul shows us he relates to sports fandom by telling us in I Corinthians 9:24 to “…run in such a way to win the prize.” And what is more American than self-reliance and hard work in accomplishing a goal, right?
My competitive spirit showed up in school and the workplace and my ability to “make things happen” and “take charge” served me well…until I got married. The very traits that had brought me success seemed to cause trouble in our marriage. I knew God’s order for marriage set the husband as the head of our home, but my husband’s ideas didn’t always line up with mine. Surely God didn’t expect me to submit to him when he was obviously wrong! I remember a very wise older woman saying at my bridal shower, “it is better to be reconciled than to be right.” I could have avoided much strife in my life had I taken these words to heart earlier.
Through prayer and Holy Spirit’s leading, I began to understand this was not just a lack of trust in my husband, but rather a lack of trust in God. I was afraid of surrendering to God because I viewed “surrender” in a negative connotation. My competitive spirit saw it as giving up or waving the white flag at my opponent. But God is NOT my opponent, He is my Father and my Friend! He loves me and has proven Himself trustworthy.
Time and soul-searching revealed that I was afraid to surrender to God because I didn’t know what craziness He had in mind for me. Then one night I read in a Beth Moore Bible study that “the goodness of God and the glory of God are inextricably linked.” That gave me such perspective! I could surrender to God without fear because He is GOOD! I had forgotten that God is my loving Father, not a control freak or a bully. He wants me to trust Him because He can do “exceedingly abundantly above all that I ask or think,” (Ephesians 3:20). By surrendering control of my life, I free God to use His unlimited wisdom and resources to accomplish things I could never imagine.
Don’t get me wrong, following God is not always sunshine and roses. There have been seasons where following Him was hard, sometimes even painful. But He is so faithful and kind, and I know if I surrender to Him, not one of my tears is shed in vain. He uses every difficulty for my good and for His glory!
Although surrendering to God remains a daily struggle, He has provided the following tools to help me:
- He gives me His Word which is full of reminders to “…humble yourselves under the mighty power of God…” (I Peter 5:6) and “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding,” Proverbs 3:5. I simply search “surrender” or “trust” in my YouVersion Bible app, and I can find so much wisdom!
- He’s provided the ultimate role model in Jesus. Philippians 2:8 tells me Jesus “…humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross.” The more I read and study about Jesus, the stronger my understanding of true surrender becomes.
- Finally, He’s given me the Holy Spirit who is faithful to show me areas I need to surrender further. Through His tender leading, I’ve seen growth and peace in my life. I’ve also reaped the immeasurable reward of deeper intimacy with Him.
This journey of surrender is not a one-time decision, but a lifestyle. I’m learning to seek and obey God’s direction in all areas of my life because He is loving and trustworthy. What seemed like a scary road has become a path of joy!
I Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.
We want to thank Lea Stukey for sharing this post.
Women's Ministry 