What You Need to Surrender if You Want Peace
“Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour” (John 12:27, NASB)
We need direction. Day by day, hour-by-hour, for us to live our best lives according to the unique purpose that God has called us to, we need the word of the Lord guiding us.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Surrender is what brings the peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7)…no matter our circumstances.” quote=”Surrender is what brings the peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7)…no matter our circumstances. “]
How do we surrender to God? Rather than following our own inclinations, we follow the will of God. Evidence of a surrendered life is obedience to God.
We might surrender some areas of our lives to God, thinking we’re doing the right thing. For example, let’s say we feel called to a particular ministry. We surrender to doing that ministry- but then we take the rest into our own hands. When it doesn’t look like we thought it would (and it rarely does), what then? Do we get frustrated and confused? Maybe we start to doubt God and then we give up. That’s a mistake.
Trust God. He knows what he’s doing.
We need God’s direction every step of the way.
Maybe God had a different purpose for you or for that ministry, something you don’t yet know about. It’s not “giving up” when we allow our plans to change when we allow God to make alterations in the course. It takes humility, yes, but we can ask the Holy Spirit to change our hearts to make us more humble and more sensitive to the Father’s leading.
What is it that we need to surrender if we want the peace of God?
Everything.
God asks for total surrender. He asks us to follow him no matter what. This is where peace is found. Sometimes that peace is hard fought and it requires some serious time on our knees in prayer.
I think of Jesus as the perfect example of how to surrender all. Jesus, in the garden, hours before his death, knowing the pain he was about to endure, spent that time in prayer with his Father. He cried out for help but he also committed to doing his Father’s will and purpose.
Sometimes it’s not immediately apparent what God’s will is for us in a particular area of our lives. Do we need to wait around for directions? I don’t think so. I think we can proceed, doing our best for to the glory of the Lord. At the same time, though, we need to remain open to God’s direction, continually keeping our hearts open in an attitude of prayer.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV)
One more thing to remember: when seeking God’s will for your life, there’s one thing you can be sure of. God will never contradict himself and what he has already said in the Bible. If you’re unsure about whether God is telling you something, or not, you can always test it against his Word.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (II Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV)
Do you feel like you need more God’s peace in your life?
Are you having a hard time surrendering everything to him?
In the Bible, the Holy Spirit is often described as a helper. We can ask for help in prayer. We can ask for the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts so that we can be surrendered to God.
A prayer:
Father God, you know how I fight for control in my life. You know how I resist the things I don’t understand and you how I fight to change those things I don’t like. Please forgive me. Help me to know that which I can change and to be at peace, trusting you with the things I can’t change. You are a good and loving Father. Please provide me with the strength and wisdom I need to surrender completely to you. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.
I would like to tell you about an opportunity for women called, Renew: online retreat.
Renew is an online, self-paced, retreat experience.
This will be a place to pause, allowing your spirit to be refreshed as you soak in the goodness of who God is. This will be a time to make space for the work of the Holy Spirit to renew a right spirit within your soul. This retreat is a quiet celebration of some beautiful gifts given to us by our Creator- gifts that renew our bodies, minds, and spirits.
This retreat will offer daily themes that repeat over four weeks: inspire, rejuvenate, create, connect, and Sabbath. A private class website, videos, and printable/downloadable files are the ways you will be able to access this content. Projects, recipes, essays, devotionals, and prayers will be woven throughout and offered in a way that invites a restful pick and choose approach.
This class begins on September 11th, 2017. Registration will remain open until September 18th. It’s a self-paced course (so you will not miss any content if you join after the start date).
If you would like to learn more, click HERE
I’d love to see you there!
About the Author
Dawn is a writer and Christian blogger who loves encouraging people to keep their focus on Jesus. She’s the author of Look to Jesus: How to Let Go of Worry and Trust God. She’s a wife and mom to two teens. A Seattle girl, she loves books, coffee, and spinning classes. You can find her at Above the Waves. Facebook. Instagram. Twitter.
“God will never contradict himself and what he has already said in the Bible.” I love this statement. Anytime I question if something is really from God I always tell myself; God will never contradict His Word. Stopping by from By His Grace Bloggers.
“total surrender” is what I’m gonna take away from this. He really does want our whole heart. I needed this post today. Thank you.
Dear Dawn,
I have got your book and have enjoyed reading it. When one surrenders the circumstances to God, does that mean, one does not try to improve his/her situation, but merely leaves it in the hands of God?
What about then, persistent prayer that Jesus tells us about, do we just surrender a situation or do we pray persistently until we see a change? These questions have been in my mind and cannot move forward with surrender.
Regards
Josephine