Resolve To Surrender

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

Something that has been at the front of my mind, not only in my walk with Christ but also in how I talk to my kids, is the idea that victory comes through surrender.

I have found that one of the most challenging things–not only to live for myself but also to explain to others–is this idea that we do not see victory in our strength but in Christ alone. Until you experience it and start learning how to walk in it, it is an incredibly counterintuitive idea to our minds.

We are a people bent on achieving by our strength, ideas, and plans, putting our trust in how we see the circumstances we face. We want victory on our terms, by the sweat of our brow, and by our ingenuity to solve a problem. I believe this is the symptom of a more significant issue–a glory issue. We want the means of victory to be ours so we can lay claim to the glory that comes with it.

But that is not how the Christian life works. Instead, victory starts with admitting we cannot obtain the victory. And it's not only that we don't have the strength or will to overcome a struggle, but we don't even have the clarity of perception to know the path we should pursue to find victory.

When we realize this, we begin to face our denial and recognize that the battle we should fight is not for victory but surrender. We admit our powerlessness, and we come to Christ. We ask him for his guidance, his direction, and his strength.

But we don't stop there. Surrender has this interesting blend of two things: dependence and action. It is both a dependent trust in God's plan and power and a decisive action from us to move toward God's direction with anticipation that his power will arrive. One of the best biblical examples is Peter walking on the water.

… Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."

And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. – Matthew 14:27–29

Peter understood his powerlessness, asked for God's confirmation, and then moved to obey the Lord's command. I don't think Peter felt like he had water-walking feet while standing on the boat. But when his feet hit the sea, God's power showed up, and he didn't sink.

Now, let's look at a few practical examples of this that may take place in our daily lives.

We want victory over bitterness and resentment; God's guidance is to call and forgive them. So we pray, "God, I surrender my hurt to you, help me do this. Your word says I need to forgive others as you have forgiven me. I know I cannot do this on my own. I need your help." Then we pick up the phone and dial the number. We open our mouths, speaking, all while trusting him for the words and strength to have the conversation. More importantly, we need his power to provide us with the authentic experience of forgiveness toward someone else in our hearts.

We want to take the responsibility to disciple and lead our families seriously. We come home, tired and frustrated from the day. Our kids are hyper and boisterous, and we have a list of chores to complete. So we pray, "God, I surrender my time to you. Help me value this with my family more than my to-do list, and give me patience with my children. On my own, this will not go well; help me." We gather them around, open our Bibles, and trust that God will not necessarily calm the atmosphere but give us patience and grace to lead well through it all.

We want to overcome a hidden sin, and God continually presses us towards confession to others. It's the same practice. We admit our inability, we trust his word and guidance, and then we step forward believing that if we confess our sins to each other and pray for one another, we will see healing in our lives.

There are endless examples of this practice. This way of living is the Christian life, doing just as Paul wrote, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Friends, let's live surrendered and see the victory God wants to accomplish for his glory in our lives.

Grace,

Shawn