The Freedom in Surrender

God keeps bringing me back to the Psalms. For the past couple months, I have been immersed in the Psalms. Some may assume it is simply due to the fact when I open my Bible, it is usually the first book I happen upon. But I believe, God has been trying to tell me something. Months ago, I asked him to show me how to teach the concept of surrender. To be honest, I was struggling. Surrender is not an easy topic or teach to others, but today- it clicked. He brought all the pieces together.

When I opened the Psalms, I first stopped on Psalm 130:5- “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I place my hope.” (NIV) “This is why I wait upon you, expecting your breakthrough, for your word brings me hope” (TPT). In response, I flipped back a few chapters to the beginning of the Song Ascents, starting with Psalm 120. In these passages, the authors display their vulnerability and pour out their heart to God. The Passion Translations calls the song of ascents, “The song of the stairway.” In my mind the authors of these chapters are in an uphill battle. They keep climbing, but as they climb, they cry out to God.

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Psalm 120:1, “I call on the Lord in my distress and he answers me.”

Psalm 121:7-8, “The Lord will keep you from all harm- he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forever more.”

Psalm 123:1, “I lift up my eyes to you, to whose throne is in heaven.”

Psalm 124:1-5, “If the Lord had not been on our side- let Israel say- If the Lord had not been on our side when the men attacked us, when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive; the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away.”

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Here these men of Israel have been in this raging uphill battle yet they paint God as this ever-merciful force against hardship.

These personal accounts fuel my soul because even amidst a storm- great distress- God continually proves himself faithful. He is faithful to answer their cries and meet them in their distress. And every single one of them seeks God first in their despair. They recognize their help can only come from one place.

So why, if we have these personal accounts of God’s mercy, do we fail to do the same? What is so difficult about surrender- about relinquishing control? What do we truly have to lose? In our minds, we say, I give you everything Lord- and then we are quick to add- except “that.” Each person has at least one exception- one “that.” I guarantee as you are reading this- at least one thing will come to mind.

Yet we have the example of these faithful men who poured out their hearts in vulnerability and complete surrender- they knew God was the only one who could save them! Psalm 121:1, “I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heavens and earth.”

What is so scary about surrender? Is it the fact that we are giving up control? Or is it the fact that we are giving our control to someone else- which makes us feel powerless? Weakness is a scary concept. We often think- I don’t want them to see me sweat- if they only knew about my weakness…

BUT JESUS turns this concept on its side by stating, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul responds by saying, “Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why for Christ’s sake I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

You see, relinquishing control to Jesus doesn’t make you weak, it makes you free!

So close your eyes with me for a second. Let God bring that one thing you haven’t given him to mind. Do you see it? Now still with your eyes closed, listen for his voice. What is he speaking over that one thing? He sees it. Let me tell you- he sees it! No matter how much you try to hide it- he SEES it! He knows it’s there. He knows it is the elephant in the middle of the room hindering your relationship with him. But because you are clenching so tightly to that thing, you aren’t letting him take it.

Now still with your eyes closed, clench your fists as tightly as possible. Do you feel the tension? It is climbing up into your arms and taking over your entire body. It is becoming you. It is engulfing you.

Now slowly and gradually, hands facing up but still closed, start unclenching. Let the tension leave your body and finish with your palms facing up- hands completely open.

This is what surrender feels like.

Revel in the moment as you experience that taste of freedom.