This week I have been thinking about what it means to truly surrender to God. We, religious professionals (I hate that term) have a tendency to use words that we really don't have good solid definitions for. Surrender is one of those.
When I think of somebody surrendering, they raise their hands and give up. From watching COPS on TV, and serving as a police chaplain, I have learned that it is best when surrendering to simply allow your body to go limp and let the officer put the cuffs on. But that begs a number of questions...
If we surrender something (hurt, habit, hang-up) to God, what does that really mean? Do you just go limp. When I surrender something to God, I still have to fight temptations.
Is surrender a declaration of humility or weakness or both? Does it have to be both?
What if what we are surrendering to is a disease, like cancer? Or a memory like childhood abuse? Or how do we surrender to grief? Or should we surrender to grief? Are there things we should not surrender to?
As I was talking to a friend about this they said there is a fine line between surrendering and fighting? Where is the line, between the two worlds?
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
So, tell us more about your history of being handcuffed . . .
Seriously, I thought your message today was especially helpful in clarifying the difference between surrendering to a weakness and letting it define me vs. acknowledging the weakness but still laying claim to my strength as a much-loved child of God.
Thank you Jim for this series and for validating through scripture the steps that I have taken to save my life and begin a personal relationship with God. Shawna and I were moved to tears by the skit of the young lady and all of the things that blocked her from God, and He spoke to me in a real way during the praise and teaching time.
When I think of someone surrendering, I think of the white flag coming out and then a capture of some sort. (like a military surrender) But only after much fighting and all other options being exausted. This is the way it was for me during my initial surrender. Only when all other options ran out and noone believed my lies(including myself), there was noone to con, noone to borrow from, noone to use, I was all alone it seemed. But God was with me. He guided my through the haze to my capture. My capture was a treatment center that led me through a program that gently guided me through my resentments to a personal relationship with God.
Surrender to me is a sign of weakness AND of strength. My weakness and inability to manage my own life, and God's power to solve all of my problems. Now that I have my life back it is easy for me to think that I have it under control and that I can handle things on my own. So surrender is a daily action for me to take, although it usually takes a little pain. But, "Pain is the touchstone for all spiritual growth" at least for me it seems. Thank you Jim for reminding me that it is OKAY to surrender many times through the day. To hear a man of God that I respect greatly say that he does the same things that I have to do daily was exaxtly what I needed to hear. Things are surely much easier when we cease fighting and give it to God.
Dale
I am struggling with the idea of surrender as being "directional" as you mentioned in your sermon (which was great BTW). Surrender to me seems to be less of a motion concept (surrendering to) and more of a relinquishing concept. By that I mean it seems to be more about letting go of whatever it is: addiction, cancer, career, and grabbing on to God instead. then we follow his action and lead instead of reacting/following whatever the issue is we need to surrender.
Post a Comment