Surrender

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In you’re your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

How do you respond when you are confused or afraid of the future?

Anxiety disorders affect an estimated 42.5 million individuals annually of the adult population. We spend time discussing potential societal implications of this mental health decline such as the increased use of social media, a heavier weight/awareness of the political climate, modern lifestyles (such as sleep deprivation and isolation). But we fail to reflect on our own hearts and root of the issue as a whole.

The need for control, self-reliance, and the fear of perception are all concepts of PRIDE. We have become an anxious generation because we substitute the trust we should have in God and His plan with what we THINK is good for us. In all reality there is absolutely nothing we can control in this fast paced, sinful world.

The ONLY thing you can control is whether or not you give up your illusion of control and SURRENDER yourself to fully trust God with your WHOLE LIFE. In Acts 16:6-10, it details the start of Paul's second missionary journey. 

“Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.”

Notice how in this passage, the Holy Spirit redirected them twice. At the time, it was defiantly confusing why God would want to move them to a different path especially when they are going to share the Gospel in new places of the world. But in the next part of the passage in verses 11-15 we read this. 

“Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days. And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.”

According to Biblical scholars Lydia is significant in the Bible as the first recorded Christian convert in Europe and a crucial patron of the early church. We all know how Christianity spread in Europe after that. A result of the disciples’ willing and flexible hearts allowed the Lord to move and work in ways they could have never possibly imagined. 

Imagine if Paul had insisted on his own plan. Imagine if he had viewed God's closed doors as failures instead of divine direction. His willingness to surrender his plans allowed God to accomplish something far greater than Paul could have orchestrated himself. In reflection to our own faith walks, there is a clear main idea as Believers from this passage we can take away: your calling is a process that you are not meant to fully understand. 

“There are many plans in a man’s heart,

Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.”

Proverbs 19:21

“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”

Matthew 6:26-27

Our calling is a journey of continual surrender.  Perhaps today God is asking you to surrender something you've been trying to hold together on your own. Maybe it's your family, your career, your finances, your health, or simply your expectations for how your life should look. You can trust the One who sees the beginning from the end. Surrender is not giving up; it is giving over. It is laying down our plans in exchange for His perfect will, believing that whatever He ordains is ultimately for His glory and our good. 

Prayer Tip:

Spend time this week asking the Lord to reveal any areas where you are clinging to control instead of trusting Him. As He brings them to mind, intentionally surrender each one to Him in prayer.

Prayer Points:

• Thank God for His perfect wisdom, even when His plans are different than your own.

• Ask Him to help you trust His timing and direction instead of leaning on your own understanding.

• Pray for humility to surrender every area of your life to His will.

• Ask God for peace when facing uncertainty or unanswered questions.

• Pray that your faith would grow stronger as you learn to depend on Him daily.

• Thank Him that His plans are always for His glory and the good of His children.

Father, thank You that You are sovereign over every detail of our lives. Even when we cannot understand Your ways, we know that You are faithful and good. I surrender to you today. Show me what to do and how to do it. Help me to trust in Your plan.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Kalli Hodges

Flourish Women's Ministry

Mid-Way Baptist Church