When I think of the word "surrender", I think of a person on TV with their hands up. They've laid their weapon down and kicked it away, and they are now at the mercy of the person who is aiming their weapon at them. To surrender means: 1. To yield (something) to the possession or power of another; deliver up possession of on demand or under duress. 2. To give (oneself) up. 3. To give (oneself) up to some influence, course, emotion, etc.
Usually, the act of surrendering is followed by something negative; something fearful. The person's future is uncertain in the hands of the person they are surrendering to. Just because they've surrendered does not mean that they are going to escape prison, torture, or even death...even if they are completely innocent. No wonder it scares people when they hear the phrase, "Surrender yourself to God." Especially if they are not even sure who God really is. But what if the person you're surrendering to is a loving, gentle, generous person whose desire for you is to give you a future and a hope and to give you the desires of your heart? This person is not pointing a weapon at you forcing you to surrender. He's standing there with open arms, waiting patiently for you, ready to lead you into the marvelous future he has planned for you. However, he wants you to be willing to completely give your life over to him and trust him completely. He wants you to surrender.
To me, surrendering is not always easy. Even though the concept is basic, the act of surrendering can be very difficult. Some things are much easier to surrender than others. However, it depends on the person and what they are being asked to surrender. What may be very difficult for one person to surrender may be a piece of cake for someone else. That's why we can never judge people on this subject. We shouldn't judge people on any subject, but right now I'm talking about surrendering.
Has God ever asked you to surrender something? A habit, maybe? A job, a relationship, a child, a dream? Whatever he's asking you to surrender, you must have confidence that he is going to take care of you and that he only wants the best for you. Surrendering something to God doesn't necessarily mean that you are going to lose it. Sometimes it does, but sometimes it's purely the act of surrendering in obedience to Him that he's looking for. When you surrender to God, you are being set free. It's the opposite of surrendering to an enemy, or to someone who is demanding that you surrender or die. God isn't asking you to surrender so that he can lock you up and control your life. He wants to set you free.
Some people are afraid of surrendering because they fear that they will lose control of their life. I used to be one of those people. I am a very independent person and I like things to be in control. I used to try to do everything in my own strength and then, when that didn't work, I would turn to God and beg him to help me. If I would have surrendered to him right away, then I wouldn't have had to work so hard and the outcome would have been much better. When you surrender your life to God, you are agreeing to hand over to him all of your desires, your dreams, your hopes, your fears, your family, your spouse, your children, your future, everything. You are saying, "God, I trust you to handle my life more than I trust myself. Lead me and guide me, use me Lord in whatever way you see fit. I am an open vessel and I'm ready to be used by you." My desire is that it becomes an automatic response, without hesitation. My hands are up, my eyes are looking upward, and I am ready to receive all that God has for me.
I find it interesting that nowhere in the bible is there a scripture that demands that we surrender to God. There are, however, several verses that tell us to submit to God. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "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." Another familiar scripture is James 4:7-8a. "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you." We are to submit to God, certainly. But, submitting is not the same thing as surrendering. A lot of people have a negative view of the word "submit" as well...sometimes even more so than "surrender." For example, if you had really controlling parents growing up who yelled at you, "You will submit to me, or else!" Another example would be if you had, or have, a demanding spouse who is very domineering and controlling. Everything in you would resist submitting to that type of person. God is not that type of person.
I read the following statement today and I think it's a good description of the difference between submission and surrendering. "Submission is something we can do, something we control. In surrender, we make the conscious choice to let go of that control, but the actual surrender is something only God can do. Another gift from the Father to His children. When we submit, we 'give in,' keeping the focus on ourselves. When we surrender, we 'give up,' putting the focus where it belongs: on God. But it isn't giving up in the way we normally define it. The action is more like 'giving over.' In love. It is offered to us in love, by Love, for love. And we accept it the same way: in love, for love, out of love. Our best example is Jesus. While here on earth, He didn't just submit, He surrendered. He handed Himself over to others, He emptied Himself completely. Out of the same motivation He came to Earth in the first place: love."
When we surrender to God, we are still going to use the gifts, talents, and resources that He's given us. We will still have our own will and our own ability to think and make decisions. Surrendering doesn't mean that we stop thinking for ourselves or belittle our God-given ability to reason. It also doesn't mean that we will always hear a booming voice from Heaven every time we have a question about what we're to do, or where we're to go. It doesn't mean that we sit around and wait for God to tell us what we're supposed to do that day. It means that as we are going about our day, we are open to hearing from him. Our ears and eyes are open to what he would want to say to us through his Holy Spirit. We are willing to go where he tells us to go and stay where he tells us to stay. It's not just about submitting to his will, it's about surrendering to his will completely. When we surrender, we give ourselves back to God. We can trust him to guide us and protect us in all our ways because we will be working to accomplish His purposes. In surrendering, there is freedom.
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