*SIGH*
Leaning on the Lord is tough. For strength to have grace in times of trials and patience during tribulations, it’s hard! Even more so when you know it’s the Holy Spirit beckoning you to walk the narrow road. When you know it’s Him, you want to run, hide, and say, “No, go away, Lord! I don’t wanna hear you! I can rule my own life, be my own lord… I can be my own god!” We are fallen creatures and we hate correction. We hate being wrong, it’s just natural. No one wants to lose an argument just because they like being wrong! They will argue till they prove themselves right. That’s just how our mind is set. We’re prideful creatures. But whether we like it or not, we need Him. More than anything, really.
Sunday night, I had prayed for the week to be God-centered and God-honoring. I wanted to take ever opportunity to declare God’s love by loving and serving those around me. I never wanted to cease proclaiming His name and glory. The result:
I didn’t listen to Him when he would open a door to glorify him or humble myself and show his love, I pushed it aside and lived life, pretending I was listening and yet shutting out every word he would utter.
Life would be sweet if it were easy to serve Him.
Life would be awesome if it were easy to walk in Him.
Life would be amazing if it were easy to surrender to Him. To put down our pride and let Him reign.
But it’s not. And because it’s not, we need Him so much more. We need his strength, his love, his mercy. And it’s in knowing that, that we begin the process of letting Him rule our lives, and yes, even our dreams.
It’s hard for me to say this, but we do need to surrender our dreams, no matter the beauty, the purpose. I want to be a missionary to Burma, I love them there, I love those kids there. There’s nothing wrong in loving like that! But I’ve got to remember, we could easily make the same mistake of pride when we think we know what’s best and leave God in the dust. We all have dreams for the future, but all that is worthless without Christ.
In knowing we are empty, He makes us full. Do you see what I’m saying?
After we surrender our lives to Him, then He will release the chains that had so long bounded us to our flesh, and set us free. Free to roam the beauty of his majesty and the glory of the King.
It truly is in surrender that we are free.
Is life perfect after surrender? Nope. Is life easy after surrender? Definitely not. In fact, it may be harder. But He is faithful, and He draws us nearer and nearer. He will make us stronger and stronger in Him. When we surrender our lives to His hands, He becomes our Keeper. He never lets us fall in Satan’s traps without warning us, or coming to help us when we cry out to him from humble hearts. He never lets us wander far without picking us back up. He never fails to be holy and just.
But first, we must surrender. Put down our pride, let him inhabit our hearts to the full, allow him to use us for his glory.
We can’t live perfect lives. We will sin and fall and rebel. But with his grace and his steadfast power, we can overcome. We will overcome. Because when we surrender, his glory shows in ways unimaginable.
After surrender, it’s a whole new world. (*Lea Solanga voice singing in my mind*)