The Art of Surrender (Pt. 2)

Hi guys!

I apologise for being A.W.O.L for the past couple of weeks but it has been an amazing and exciting time for me. I have had so many beautiful experiences and learned so many interesting lessons in this time which I hope to share with you soon. So I had actually finished up this blogpost last week Saturday and then it disappeared…don’t even know how that happened but I was determined to put this up today.

A couple of weeks ago, I had shared about how in this season of my life, I’m learning the real meaning of the word “Surrender”. I mean like to surrender surrender…like totally let go especially in the midst of uncertainty. I shared about how I am learning the root of it all and the essence of what it really means to surrender every aspect of my life to God; which i admitted is one of the hardest things I have ever had to learn, based on being a self-acclaimed control freak

What would happen if you decided to just let go and Surrender?

So today, I’ll be sharing tips I’m learning to imbibe in my S.U.R.R.E.N.D.E.R. I’ll be sharing some of the things I’m learning to be conscious of in surrendering every aspect to God and what ultimate SURRENDER truly means to me.

Surrender…Totally

I am learning that for me to surrender every aspect of my life to God, I must do just that…Surrender. Not just one part of my life but every aspect of my life. I cannot hold the reins in one aspect and then decide that I am in total control of the other aspect. It’s like “if you’re going to let go and let God, you might as well do so completely.”. This past week, I read a devotional on “helping God” which I know if we would be honest to ourselves and admit, is something we do and get tempted to do more often than not. By helping God, I mean we take charge of situations in a subtle way so it seems like we are trying to give God the “opportunity” to be in control but in actual reality, we doubt his ability to handle whatever situation we are in and provide the very best for us so we just want to “help” in an insy winsy way. The truth is, I’m learning that there’s no point the one who is all-knowing and able to do far more than you can ever think or imagine(Eph. 3:20). Besides, he loves you dearly and actually cares about you (even though I know sometimes it doesn’t feel that way). He gives 100percent of him to you and your needs. So, as I’m learning, why not surrender?

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” ~ 1 Peter 5:7

Understand God’s power and goodness

I am realizing that a reason why we may not be fully surrendered to God in every aspect of our lives is that we are yet to understand God’s power and goodness in our lives. Like even when we realize his power (and how mighty he is to handle any situation) in a way, we sometimes doubt the nature of his goodness. Because it’s easy to look around and see diseases ravaging human beings, wars, famine and the likes and feel like “If God is good and by his very nature good, then why do these things happen even to innocent people?” Perhaps you have been in situations where you lost a family member in a tragic and unexpected way or probably were physically, sexually or verbally abused in ways you are yet to recover from and so it’s not the easiest to see God’s “goodness” through all of that. And while I may not have all the answers in the world, I do know and believe that God’s plan ultimately is not to harm us but to pour his goodness into us.

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” ~Psalm 27:13-14 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”~.Jeremiah 29:11

Remember all of God’s blessings.

Because it is so so so so easy to forget! Because one minute you’re rejoicing and shedding tears of joy over having gotten what you had earnestly prayed for and then another minute, you’re in despair, running up and down, trying to control and fix the situation. You’re fretting and fussing because it’s easy to forget the ways that God came through for you (perhaps just the week before) and it’s easy to get ungrateful and start complaining and even take all the credit for having got that job or that achievement that you worked hard on. But learning to consciously count your past blessings and remember the ways God has come through for you will help in ultimately surrendering to him because at least you know he’s not a “one hit wonder”.

Resist the urge to control

The urge to control everything and everyone around you. Let’s start with “everyone”. I’m learning that this is truly understanding that not everyone is like you and you need to learn to manage your expectations as a human being in surrendering to God; even in relationships with family, friends, spouses and the likes. It’s pretty easy to get caught up thinking that we can control or fix people to give us what we want or to make them into who we want them to be. You cannot change anyone and it is not your job to fix anyone. Also, resist the urge to control everything because, guess what? (and this might surprise you a bit) YOU CAN’T! You cannot control everything that happens to you or everyone around you. This doesn’t mean that you cannot make decisions for yourself or that you should lounge around and not do everything. It just means it’s easier to surrender to someone who is in actual total control of everything, no?

Enjoy current blessings

Because current blessings never run out, thanks to God’s goodness. It’s so easy to run from pillar to post worrying about what would happen today or tomorrow or the next week that we forget to just relax and enjoy the present that God has given us (cliché pun intended! *I did a little dance in my head because I enjoy puns*). We forget to enjoy and celebrate that we and our loved ones are alive, healthy, can walk around, can breathe in free fresh air, you know… One major key to surrendering is learning to relax a little, Like…just chill. You won’t die if you just relaxed a little.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”~ Matthew 6:25-34

Never stop trusting

In God’s goodness, in his kindness, in his power, in his ability to make your dreams come true. In the truthfulness of his word and what he has said about you. I am learning to never stop trusting in his existence and in him knowing me inside out and what my heart desires. And in doing that, I am learning to lean not on my own understanding of things (one of the hardest to do) but just trust in His. Because it takes a whole lot of guts to fully trust in God 100percent. Anyone can say it. LOL. I laugh because I know I have said it a whole lot of time but did not mean it to its depth. Not everyone can do it. But at the end of the day, we each have a choice.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Decide to let go and let God

It takes literally one decision. In this very hour, this very second and this very minute to decide in your heart that you would let go and let God handle every aspect of your life; that you would trust in him in every situation to come through for you the way he has for you over and over again; that you would acknowledge him in all you do. But first, you decide. And then you act on it!

Entertain only positive thoughts not negative thoughts of doubt, fear

I’m learning that by filling my thoughts with the truth in God’s word, it is easier to surrender to him because then I know how he feels about me and the plans he has for me. I constantly then strive to fill my mind with only positive thoughts and positive “what-ifs” and not the negative ones. I am also more conscious about my environment and the things I let into my head no matter how trivial they may seem. In that way I can fully surrender to God.

Rely on God’s faithfulness

Because if there’s one thing even you know you cannot doubt is God’s faithfulness! Just think about it for a second, all the times that he has come through for you can be summed in one word; faithfulness! I am learning that even when I am unfaithful or faithless, I can always depend on God’s faithfulness, It’s the most surreal and “too good to be true” thing. LOL. Because as human beings, we want to earn everything; love, trust, respect and so we think we have to work for God’s faithfulness. Wrong. By his very nature he is faithful and cannot deny himself. He loves being faithful to his children, coming through for us and making us happy. When you know that this is who you’re surrendering to, life becomes a tad but easier no?

“If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”~ 2 Timothy 2:13

“The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:24

What would happen if you decided to just let go and Surrender?