Complete Surrender
The idea of completely surrendering to God is something I think a lot of us desire. But do we truly take into consideration the full picture of what surrender is when we decide to surrender all?
There are some parts of surrender that are just impossible to fathom if we are honest. Because the things of God are foolishness to man. So we get in on the action, and when the Word tells you that what God has for you is more than you could ask or imagine, we still go ahead and imagine and we paint this picture of what it should look like and no matter how many times we are warned that it doesn’t come without its battles and it’s attacks, no matter how many times we are told we are stretched through discomfort, we picture it as easy, we picture blessings without trials, we picture things happening so fast and we fail to prepare for the wait.
Nevertheless this fantasy we paint of relationship with God will someday lead to ultimate frustration and dissatisfaction. All of a sudden we begin to believe that God isn’t one who keeps His word, and this is how the devil creeps in to the side door you left open. Because no one dares to say when they feel that way about God, so you build up some resent against God, His apparent shortcomings and tell no one about it, and now you are held in a place of isolation. You run from God and from your support system of fellow believers.
We also live in an age of instant gratification, so we put God on a timeline of when and how He has to come through for you.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
- Jeremiah 29:11
It is important to note that Jeremiah 29:11 says “though to give you an expected end.” We try to put God under a time pressure, or quit and say He failed us, when His plans are focused on your end, not your middle, He is the alpha and OMEGA, the beginning and the END. We have to learn patience and trust, that if God is who we confess He is then what are we stressing about. This of course is easier said than done.
One of the major factors in us drifting from our commitment to surrender completely to God is not being able to let go of our own definition of what God’s will is for us. so often we talk about the things of God but are really chasing earthly gain. Often even if that is what God wants for you, He can’t give it to you until you let go of it. because the greatest blessings can also be the greatest curses if your priorities are out of alignment. if your focus is more on your earthly desires than God then those desires will derail you.
The worse thing that can happen to any of us is to get so lost in the image of success we think we’ve made it and we must be good with God and we have lost all perspective of His Kingdom.
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
- Matthew 6:24
You cannot serve both man and mammon, it doesn’t mean you can’t have wealth, you just have to be sure that your wealth is serving God with you and you’re not serving it. We have to get to a place of I want You and only You God and if there is anything You want me to let go of i’ll let go of it in an instant because You are the goal. If you have two master you will at some point have to choose between them and realise that is reality you only have one master. A rich man came to Jesus wanting to know how to guarantee entrance in to Heaven, he genuinely desired to make it to heaven, but when it came time to choose between heaven and his worldly gain you finally saw what he prioritised.
“Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”
- Matthew 19:21-22
It is such a hard thing and truly on God can give you the capacity to surrender completely to Him, but complete surrender is what it takes to fulfil the purpose of God, are you ready to give it all up for Him?