The Sweetness of Surrender

So often we think of surrender as a negative thing. Our culture prides itself on originality as we're encouraged to step out with a "large and in charge" attitude. With opinions, impressions, convictions - we're taught that to be our own boss, our own dictator of direction is to reach true freedom. Hustling our way through life, we learning how to succeed by making sure we have the last word: a say so in our future and to embrace the bright promise of self-ambition.

But I wonder, is this really the healthiest way to approach life? Are we meant to be our own life designers? Dreams and ambitions is clearly a good thing, a gift. But without surrender do they only serve to own me? Personally, I find myself wanting a leader, a final word, the knowledge that I'm truly walking in what God has before me. And to my own astonishment, I actually don't want to be in charge!

This past season,  I've been struck by the powerful nature of surrender. Instead of viewing it as a necessary evil only out to spoil my expectations, dreaming or life planning, I'm beginning to see it as wonderfully freeing. I love when Jesus talks about taking up our cross. The very next verse is about finding our life and he says that those who lose their life, will find it. It's really is true and oh so comforting. To surrender, to let yourself go in God, is to find yourself.

What a beautiful mystery! That loosing ourselves in Him can result in the most security of all. I feel like this one might take a life-time to discover, but why not just go for it. Contrary to what we are taught, surrender is full of joy, not just pain. With God nothing is impossible and thankfully, not everything has to make sense either.

Saying "No!"

Life has a way of demanding our participation. Whether working or playing, our days fill up quickly, as our to-do lists become longer and longer. Weeks fly by and time becomes a precious commodity, as we try to straddle everything. People pleasing becomes our M.O., as silence, patience and rest slip away. Starting early and ending late, even good things can tend to overwhelm us, and with the unrelenting craze of activity comes the oh-so-familiar opinions of man.

Watching, judging, instructing, opinions are never far behind the noise of life. Everyone and everything has one. Even seemingly null individuals or causes are able to impress them upon you. Unbenounced, we are constantly consuming and even internalizing. I often find myself responding to other's opinions without even thinking about it, easily overwhelmed by their seemingly powerful and persuasive natures. The world will try to convince us that we are the victim, that we can't say "no" and that opinions of man should and will rule our decisions. It will propose that to contest this "fact" is pointless and a waste of our efforts. Heads down and survival are better than being crushed. 

The causational ones tend to be especially tricker liars; trick-for-trade, making deals, compromising. If you do this, than you can have this or be this or buy this, etc. Promises unkept, this sneaky whirlwind of demands, pressures, and expectations, are far from fair nor are they uplifting. Besides, how am I or anyone else suppose to function, let a lone thrive, admits the barrage of all the should's and could's? 

Breathe. "Just say no," the Holy Spirit quips. Say "no"? 

The interesting thing about the opinion of man and lies from the enemy are that they projects a victim mentality on the accused. Jesus is all about empowerment and freedom. Freely he gave of Himself, His mercies, His love. Freely He laid down His life, considering that equality with God was not something to be grasped. He used his freedom to empower and it change the world forever. 

Saying "no" not only allows us to reposition our hearts in a victorious stance, as more than conquers in Christ Jesus, but it also gives us the freedom to hear and honor the voice of our Beloved. What God says about who we are is far more important and ultimately  the only thing that matters and that's eternal. All the other opinions, voices, mockery pale in comparison to the glorious presence and peace of us hidden in Him. When we say "no" to the noise, it makes space for the Father's voice to boom through our spirit. It shifts us back into the right wavelength where we hear things that are congruent with the Father's heart. It's His voice that breathes and breeds life into our spirits. 

This is where real change, freedom, and peace happen. We must restrain from becoming sloppy in our adoration and awe for the powerful nature of the presence of God. To sit, to rest, to be in His presence is fulfilling our first and most significant calling, to love God, to be ministering to the our Creator, and in my opinion, it's some of the most precious times to our Father. Complicating the message and the personhood of Jesus, doesn't make Him more powerful or more effective. God is looking for lovers who are willing to trust Him above all else and let His voice take precedence.

Just say "no". Because we can! Simple and complete. No more victim mentality, no more succumbing to the cohesion of the enemy or the ignorance of the world. No more fear. It's peace time! May we continue to lean into Jesus, as we say "no" and watch as he raises us up above all the noise. I pray that His voice would be the loudest and most prized voice ringing in His bride's ear.