Happy and blessed Monday!
I had been waiting for my “God nudge” for this week when I read this. It got me immediately because, don’t we all have someone we love that just can’t surrender? They acknowledge the Lord, believe in God’s existence and sometimes, can really talk a good line, but it is all show.
I have friends and family that talk the talk but just can’t let go to walk the walk.
I get it. I have even been there. There was a time in my life that I felt my sanity was based on holding on to my control of my life. I had a time that I had no control and never knew what the next day might bring.
The change came in the realization that only when I turned that control over to Jesus Christ did my life finally take on full meaning. THAT’s when things began to fall into place and THAT’S when I finally gained the peace that I so desperately sought.
I am not perfect. I still slip and fall but I KNOW, without a doubt, where my strength and hope comes from. All I have to do is let go and let God!
Philippians 4:6-8 NIV
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
My friends, if you haven’t really surrendered your life to Jesus, you haven’t known true freedom or true peace! I was always afraid that if I didn’t hold on to that control, my life would never go right. Instead, I found that until I surrendered control, my life wouldn’t go right!
Thank you, Jesus for your grace and mercy.
Pray Unceasingly!!
Lois
What does it mean for a person to give their life to the Lord?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: What does it mean for a person to give their life to the Lord? – L.S.
A: A police sergeant once asked what the secret was to living a victorious Christian life. While there is no magic formula, if one word could answer it the word would be “surrender.” To surrender means to give in or give up, to let someone else have power and control. While people do not like this idea, the truth is that to walk as a faithful Christian and follow the Lord, we must give up our wants and seek what God wants and live for Him and follow His commandments, praising Him along the way. Surrender comes when we believe that Christ will come into our lives and give us His mercy, love, and forgiveness.
How is this done? The answer is to hand God the controls; the control of the mind, the heart and the will. Rather than choosing to do what we want, we listen to God and read and study His Word that will guide us in the decisions we make. We give every situation to Him and look for His hand to direct us along life’s pathway.
It is not enough to tell Jesus one time that we love Him and want to obey Him. It is a lifetime journey. Do we see growth in our lives? Jesus said that if anyone desires to follow Him, thy must seek His will and follow it (Luke 9:23). Daily surrender is the key to daily victory.
When we open our minds to God’s Word, we open the door for the Holy Spirit to do His work in us, and we are filled with assurance of His presence each step of the way.