The Beauty of Surrender.....

Hi Everyone,

I've been thinking about something else these past few days. I've been thinking about the concept of surrender to God and God alone. But I am not simply just thinking about it as a concept, but thinking about surrender as it has been a reality of experience in this joyous new-found relationship that God has engaged me into. As I have said before HIS LOVE AND ALL OF IT IS BETTER THAN LIFE ITSELF! The past five weeks have been better than anything else in my life that I have EVER KNOWN BEFORE---the last five weeks have been so truly wonderful it is just like all the former years that I felt so desperate and lost have been erased!! Isaiah 43:18-19 says, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." As I have been walking through this process with God very clearly leading it, i see that these verses (yes, although intended towards Israel) reflect what God has done with me. As I am able to process and grieve the "former things" I ma able to truly let them go, forget them and leave them behind. And I see the NEW THING that God is doing in me--HE LITERALLY HAS MADE ME A NEW CREATION IN HIMSELF!!!! IT has indeed SPRUNG UP IN ME!!! He has made a way in the literal desert that I was in and now it flows with springs of LIVING WATER---Living water that comes from HIM ALONE!! THERE IS NO OTHER SOURCE FOR THAT!!!!!

Wow! I just had to say all of that!! But back to the topic of surrender. I've been thinking about why it is so hard for us to really give God the control of things in our lives. (And I am not trying to judge anyone by saying this, I am just telling from my personal experience where my struggle was at.) Part of the reason why I have personally struggled with surrender had to do with the fact that I had never truly trusted Him for who He was and is, and had also never trusted or understood the depths of His true goodness.

When we understand that we can really trust God and that He is totally completely trustworthy and that EVERYTHING---and I mean ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING that He does for us is TRULY GOOD and that EVERYTHING--NO MATTER WHAT WE HAVE DONE OR WHATEVER IS SOMETHING THAT HE WILL WORK TOGETHER FOR OUR GOOD IF WE ALLOW HIM TO, surrender becomes very easy---BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS DEEP CONFIDENCE IN HIM THAT NOTHING WILL EVER BE ABLE TO SHAKE. It is a confidence that He will do nothing other than what is the VERY BEST for us. THERE IS A TRUE JOY IN REAL SURRENDER--giving it all to Him and letting Him take it and take control!! Wow! I am loving this relationship with God!!!!

So can I lovingly challenge you and ask a few questions that you can just get with God honestly about and speak to Him about?

Are you struggling to surrender something to God in your life right now?

Why are you struggling?

Is it simply honestly that you aren't ready to let go of it?

Is it that you don't trust Him or His goodness for that area of your life or particular situation?

Or is the reason something ENTIRELY DIFFERENT than any of the things I mentioned? I don't want to put words in your mouth for you-that is NOT the goal here.

What is it that God wants you to surrender to Him today?? If it is hard, just be honest and tell Him--He loves our honesty with Him and can work through that in us!

Seek the Lord about these things--JUST YOU AND HIM. You don't have to answer to me or anyone else about your answers.

IN THE END IT IS ALL ABOUT US EACH INDIVIDUALLY BEFORE GOD ANYWAYS----AND THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE EITHER DO OR DO NOT HAVE WITH HIM. IT ISN'T ABOUT ANYBODY OR ANYTHING ELSE!!

As I have surrendered this whole healing process to the Lord, I must say I have stood in amazement as I have seen how He has intricately and so beautifully orchestrated each step of it, like I NEVER COULD HAVE DONE!!! He has truly provided for the deepest needs of my heart in the midst of it all.....maybe I will tell more of that story in a few more ways, if God leads me to, in a future post--we will see. HOW BEAUTIFULLY HE CARES FOR THOSE WHO ARE HIS OWN---Love that surpasses all understanding!!

I also must say that the things that come out of my heart and mouth when I write these blogs many times totally amaze me!! I KNOW that GOD has made my Heart NEW--I would have never said things like this before---and TRULY MEANT THEM FROM THE DEPTHS OF MY INNER BEING!!! Lord, all the glory is YOURS!!