Surrendering to God
Surrendering to God was written by our newest Candid Gal, Melissa Meek
What am I Afraid of?
Are you at a point where God wants you to surrender to Him, not sure why this fear of surrendering to God has such a strong hold?
Maybe if we didn’t view it as giving up as much as trusting in where He has us going?
At this point in my life, I was ready but not as willing. Weariness had me wiped out, mentally and physically.
As a tween getting baptized, I knew it was something my mom wanted for all of us six siblings. I wanted to please her more than this God I knew little about. This planted the seed-but fear, dysfunction and self-protection made it hard to grow.
Even though my mom planted faith in me I was raised feeling I was not wanted or loved, it was hard to be vulnerable to a God who was showing me I was His child. My safety net was holding on to control, thinking it could catch me from a childhood of dysfunction.
What Do You Cling to as Self-Protection?
I was taught at a very young age to hold back emotions, good or bad. No happiness and joy as well as no crying or anger. Having a sensitive nature, I fought hard to hide all emotion. I lost who I was to be.
So many life events feed this internal fear, hard to trust there is a plan greater than us. We stop growing, go dormant.
My net finally broke from the heaviness of a relationship with a broken man. It affected my physical health, and I was diagnosed with health issues. My mental health lowered me into a pit; I sought Christian counseling.
Have You Ever Felt the Numbness of an Empty Life That Forces You to Surrender to God, Making You More Aware of All God Has to Offer?
He truly wants that for each of us. God wants us on our knees, praying we can get back up with His help. Hopeless, weary and worn out. Striving for so much more.
If we only realized that following our heart’s yearning to follow God as so powerful, believing in someone and something unseen but so real. So often hard times will eventually place you right where you need to be, face to face with the Father!
That seed planted years ago started to grow as my faith walk continued with God; in prayer, in journaling, in singing praise to Him. My nightly prayer always ended in asking Him to keep tugging at me, I continually prayed this not realizing He has been doing that all along.
My Friend, How Sweet is God’s Healing Touch!
I rededicated my life to God by getting rebaptized, in my mid-fifties. Then the slow journey of growing into who God wanted me to be began. That sensitive heart began to flow with glow, even through the tears and struggles. I found myself at home with the Father and it became a good place for me.
In the struggle of being exhausted, you come to realize God is always right there with you. You realize the sweetness of letting go and accepting God as your protection as well as unconditional love.
Three Ways to Embrace Surrendering to God
1.) What’s Your Net?
Raised in my childhood environment, it was hard to be vulnerable to a Father figure who was showing me I was His child. And that He was offering parental, unconditional love to me, something I never felt worthy of.
My parents knew little about loving themselves, how were they to express love to me. Attending a workshop on writing your story, it referred to how we need to be aware of the other side of the pain. My mom herself was unwanted and raised within mental illness.
Maybe there’s someone in your story God is inviting you to see with new compassion?
We tend to build those walls of protection when we feel unsafe, fear is a liar as Zach Williams sings. Years of fear can isolate us, a life we are not meant to live. As children of God, that places you into God’s family.
2.) Surrender as an Act of Discovery
A child spends many of their first years discovering and maybe we need to go back to that mindset, open our innocent hearts and as a child of God receive from the true Father all He has for us!!
How many of us need to seek and surrender to counseling and find the healing it can be?
My time in Christian counseling and the mentoring from a couple spiritual women softened my heart to surrender to a good, good Father.
It’s not too late to break through thick walls of fear. We need to be needed.
As children of God, we need to rely on others to meet our needs. We shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help when we need it because we know that help from the right person is our source of strength.
3.) Remember: Surrender is a Daily Decision
Each day, we get to say yes again. We know we are loved and can come just as we are and receive what we need.
Can you honestly say you feel loved and can be yourself?
By recognizing that we need Jesus, we can let go of the pride that keeps us from His presence. And when we know that we belong to Jesus, we can approach God with childlike confidence.
Surrender isn’t giving up. It’s opening your hands and hearts; it’s an invitation to discover who you really are in Christ- not who fear told you to be.
If you’ve been clinging to control, may today be the day you release the net. By opening your hands and heart!
Know that God is waiting for you to come to Him just as you are, He’s been there to catch you all along.
Candid Moment Devotionals
Living in Light of the Gospel
We asked several Christian women how living in light of the gospel impacts their life… and they didn’t disappoint. Pick up a copy of Candid Moments: Living in Light of the Gospel to join 15 Christian women who are living for Jesus. We won’t tell you to try harder, do more, or achieve perfection, we’ll simply point you to Jesus.
