Defining Moments: Surrendering to the Will of God for Your Life
My biggest surrender moment...
With tears streaming down my face, I moved toward the altar along with other teenagers responding to a call of God.
I felt nervous with no idea how my future would pan out with this one decision, but I knew that I knew that I knew it was God calling me to do His will, not mine, and I wanted to say yes to Him.
It was my surrender moment.
Jesus had been speaking to my heart about being a missionary and this was my all-in moment, a moment that would define my future.
Does God speak to 12 year-olds?
Let me assure you He does.
Looking back at that day, I shudder to think what my life would look like if I had said no or just ignored the Holy Spirit's prompting.
I might have had a good life, but it wouldn't be my current life.
I would have a different set of memories and a different series of choices would have followed.
We are defined at our points of surrender to God's will.
Looking at the ultimate picture of surrender
For a clear understanding of surrender to the will of God, we must look at Jesus.
Jesus chose to obey God's will at the cross.
He chose surrender.
The Bible says He laid down his life - no one took it from Him. (John 10:17-18)
It also tells us He could have chosen to call twelve legion (10,000) angels to rescue him. (Matthew 26:53)
He had the "right" to call them because He was blameless.
Jesus had choices.
Jesus chose to exercise obedience to His Father's will over his right to personal justice.
When He went to the garden of Gethsemane, He wrestled in prayer with His Father. (Matthew 26:36-46)
Luke's account of this prayer says He prayed so fervently his sweat became like great drops of blood. (Luke 22:44)
His decision was painful.
He was not only facing the most brutal of physical human tortures, but He would also be taking on the entire weight of sin, sickness and death and would experience separation from His Father.
Something He had never experienced.
He knew what He would choose to do but He still talked it out with his Father.
Three times Jesus fell on His face and prayed to His Father asking if there was any other way.
He knew the answer.
Still, He asked.
Every decision moving forward was connected to that decision of surrender.
Another example of wrestling with God is found in the life of Jacob.
His wrestling with God was so intense, God changed his name to Israel, and he spent the rest of his life walking with a limp! (Genesis 32:22-23)
I, also, wrestled with God over making missions my life's call.
God was patient and persistent.
He spoke to me through messages, the Bible, and books.
The Holy Spirit faithfully kept speaking with me as I wrestled.
Wrestling is good because it forces me to have the conversation with Him.
Ignoring leaves me with a tendency to lean on my own understanding or even pretend I'm not hearing Him.
And that, my friend, is a dangerous place.
Wrestling, followed by surrender to God's will, brings peace.
From the moment Jesus left the garden, He walked peacefully forward, despite the difficult road in front of Him.
When Jacob left Peniel that day, he moved forward knowing He had met with God.
When I surrendered that night, I didn't know what was coming, but I had peace that goes beyond understanding.
There comes a point where we, too, must wrestle in prayer with God concerning His will
Just like Jesus, we all have choices.
God has something for each of us to do in this life.
He created each one of us on purpose and for a purpose.
For myself and many others, it impacts career choices.
For others, it may be God's call to serve the Kingdom through your secular career.
He may be calling you to go all-in with service in your local church or community that will benefit His Kingdom.
He may be calling you as a prayer warrior.
When we surrender to His will, it impacts many decisions to follow.
For Jesus, His decision to surrender to the will of His Father determined the steps to come.
His following was perfect.
For myself, the decision to follow God's will into missions determined many other decisions.
My following is imperfect but keeps me heading toward Him and His will.
As you prayerfully consider His will for this season of your life, I know as you wrestle through your questions and fears with Him, He will assure You He will be with you.
Ultimately, surrender is our choice.
Let me leave you with a song of surrender for this week.
I Surrender All
Many blessings,
Kathy Ann
Yes and amen!
Just read "Surrendering to the will of God in Your Life". So good!! Thank you for the reminder it's okay to wrestle with God, Jesus did, Jacob did and so many others, but don't ignore what He's asking. It may be hard, but God will strengthen and equip us for what He is asking.