The courage to stop resisting and fully accept the present moment, letting go of everything – of who we were, of what was our past, and our fears— to make space for what God has planned for us. When we surrender to God, we come to him with a humble heart, recognizing our need for him in our lives, accepting him completely as he accepts us, unconditionally. We are all children of God, fearfully and wonderfully made, just as it is written: “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). This means being willing to let go of control and drop our armor to the ground. We drop the pretense of having all the answers and find profound peace, being vulnerable and acknowledging our limitations. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6). This prayer is an offering of your life exactly as it is, trusting that the hands you surrender it to are better than your own. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). It is about surrender, coming to our Creator, our one true Father with a genuine, sincere, humble heart. God my Father, I let go. Take me as I am. My life is not my own. Forgive me for my sins, and show me Your mercy. I thank You for this life, and I ask—through Your discernment—that You teach me and transform me for Your glory and purpose, because Your plans are better than mine. Trusting is challenging – Fill me with Your Holy Spirit; release me from all that doesn’t serve me, and replace it with the peace and love of Your son Jesus Christ. In the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit I humbly pray. Amen.
One response to “Surrender – prayer and reflection”
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Finding Rest in God
Can you remember the last time you drank cold water after being outside in the hot sun? Or maybe diving into a lake in the middle of summer? It feels good to be refreshed physically, and all of us have different ideas about how to get refreshed.
God’s Word tells us that God is like a Shepherd who takes care of us. He protects us from harm and He makes sure we’re nourished.
One of the jobs of a shepherd is to provide the sheep with refreshment. This is why the writer of Psalm 23 says the Lord leads him into quiet places and lush spaces. Those things were refreshing to his soul.
Have you checked on your own soul lately?
Sometimes when we haven’t been refreshed by God, we end up living in a hurry. We keep our souls and minds busy going from one thing to the next. We become anxious. After long enough, we begin to think there might be something wrong with us.
In John 10:11, Jesus says that He is the Good Shepherd, and we are His sheep. This means that Jesus provides the right path that we should walk, spiritual protection and guidance through prayer, and also spiritual refreshment for our soul. When we spend time with Jesus, part of His job is to refresh us.
But in order to do that, we have to follow Him into those quiet spaces. We have to leave the noise and notifications of the world behind us and learn the slow pace of Jesus. We don’t have to hurry in our time with Him.
When we learn to quiet our souls by removing distractions, we can begin to enjoy simply being with Jesus. When we learn to enjoy Jesus, then He will do His job of refreshing our souls that are parched and weary without Him.
So take some time today without distractions and spend time with Jesus. If you find that difficult, that is an indicator that your soul isn’t used to resting. Your life will be so much healthier and satisfying if you make it a daily habit to be refreshed by God.
~ YouVersion Bible App
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