Even now as I sit here writing this post for the month of August, I am continually casting out the lie that things will always be this way. This is not, and never will be the truth or biblical. I never want to be one of those bloggers that pretends. Pretending won't teach and it won't satisfy. Everyday for the last month has been a struggle against my pride and my surrender. There have been ups and there have been downs. There have been escape opportunities and that many would jump at. Though above all of this, there has been an act of surrender. I've continually chosen obedience over sacrifice. Often times my act of surrender consists of snot dripping, tears flowing, heart aching prayer, pleading God to lead me and show me where he wants me, and what he is calling me to do with the choices that are presented in front of me. Here we are, on the second day of August 2017! Where the heck did that come from? Through all of this and with a careful review of the collection of moments that have brought me here, I have noticed that I have continuously found peace in surrendering. I've been continuously coming before God with nothing but my prayers and my worship for what he has done and for the things I know that he IS going to do. I have no clue what they are, but I know that he is a God who loves his children and provides.
Typically when we as a people think of the word surrender, our minds usually compose an image of defeat. I sometimes envision an image of a women who has found herself at a loss, cowardly waiving her white flag. Society has taught us that the act of surrendering always implies a loss. I would say that the common belief is that we lose the victory when we bow down to a superior authority. My ego screams, "You're better than this don't bow down to authority!" Yet in fact, we all should be wise enough to know better. There is one act of surrender where we gain, where we win in the end. This truth is my only confidence.
I had to accept a lot of things about my life when I decided to be ALL IN for Christ. I concluded that if I was going to rededicate my life to him yet again, that this would be it and I was never going to put myself through leaving the church and coming back again. But the truth is, surrendering happens daily. The bible expresses that this is a narrow path, and as I've matured in my relationship with Jesus this has become a very present reality. I've learned so much, but beyond those things the truth is that the sacrifices I've made in this life are nothing in comparison to the glory and righteousness that is to be gained eternally. Furthermore, God has delivered on his end of the bargain, blessing me with like-minded friendships that I prayed for for years, clearing a path before me in North Carolina, and positioning me at a the Summit Church under biblical teaching that has completely launched my spiritual maturity in Jesus to new heights. Yet my flesh STILL yearns to be the captain of this ship and the Empress of this temple called Kasai Marie. I have to surrender my life on a daily, even more so hour by hour basis to keep my thoughts focused on what is true. God will never leave me and will never forsake me. He has intentional plans for my life to prosper me and bless me.
Is there really a need to surrender? For some people life is good. Life is great. You're in that perfect relationship, you've just moved to a new city, maybe you've just married your best friend. For others, your life may look a lot like mine right now, uncomfortable. You're exhausted. You're being stretched. Maybe your also like me, trying to catch your breath above the waves through this millennial transitional ocean of a season that this life surely does bring. Between paying off student loans, trying to excel in your career, okay let's be real..... trying to find a set career, keep up with the expectation of what your family believes your life should look like, maintaining some rendition of a social life, and "attempting" to live right... IT'S SOMETIMES TOO MUCH! Wherever we find ourselves, the common thread that is woven throughout all of our lives that I've had to digest, is that nothing in this life is eternal. Not a thing.
“Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth”
Everything in this life will eventually pass along. We all eventually will come to a place of breathlessness, knowing that nothing in this life last forever. I believe that surrendering is the act that grants us peace knowing that when that day comes, we are confident in where we are going. Though surrendering and sacraficing while on earth can be painful, God promises to always keep his promises. He has so many beautiful promises that he makes with us in his word and I've learned to accept them personally. I encourage you to do the same. Here's a favorite of mine:
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”
He promises to not only be with us, but to help and strengthen us. That right there is a reason to smile. A reason to be grateful and a reminder to continue to surrender our lives to his will and purpose daily.
Even when we are uncomfortable and suffering through some mess he promises to keep and restore us. I encourage you to find some time this month, today even and surrender your life. Surrender your dreams, your plans, your authority. Let it go. Find the peace that surpasses all understanding, and bathe in the love and grace that was poured out for you. There are a couple of scriptures that were presented to me when I first begun surrendering my life to Christ at age twelve, and a couple more that found their way into my life when I had fallen back into sin as I got older. Like many people, I feared I had gone too far to be cherished and redeemed by God, through Christ. I also enjoyed the comfort of my sin and the lifestyle I was living and didn't want to sacrifice it. I didn't want to surrender. I'd like to share these passages with you today in hopes that they bless you too, and encourage you to surrender. Your eternal life is worth the temporary sacrifice. Until next month...
“9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 13Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord, will be saved.”
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all our your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death”
“For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from your selves, it is a gift of God ”