The Art of Sweet Surrender
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all you ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know that plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for good and not evil, to give you hope and a future.
Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made unto God
1Peter 5:7
Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you
Define Surrender: cease resistant; submit to authority; relinquish possession; to give up in your favor; restoration
Learning that art of sweet surrender can be a very challenging task. It’s easy to take matters into your own hands and try to come up with a solution; it’s easy to say, “I’ll just fix it myself” out of frustration. But when it comes to your life, your DREAM, or your passion, it’s not so easy to surrender that control, because you may feel these are things you should be able to control…….at least you thought. Your life, your DREAM, and your passion are very complex, and these are things that you can’t just accomplish on our own. If you want to reach your best potential, be successful, you must learn the art of sweet surrender. You may ask, “What does the art of sweet surrender mean?” Well, I’ll tell you!! To surrender means to cease resistance, submit to authority; relinquish possession, to give up in your favor, or restoration. When I speak of the art of surrender, I am referring to surrendering to God. When we allow God to have and take control, you allow Him to work in your favor; you allow God to go forth on your behalf. When we take matter into our own hands sometimes we can make a mess of things or can cause more harm than good. Learning the art of sweet surrender is acknowledging the fact that you need God, you want God, and you must have God in order to reach your destination.
This doesn’t mean that you are giving up. This mean that you are allowing God to take care of His business………opening closed doors, showing favor with those who would otherwise overlooked you, or even placing you in positions that on paper you don’t qualify for. You are placing your very welfare in the hands of the one whom created you…..what better person to surrender to. God is aware and all-knowing of what is PERFECT for you!!! When you surrender, it shows you are willing to do things God’s way, rather than your way. God has a great plan for your life, but you must learn that art of sweet surrender in order to let God work. Your victory is not within self alone, it lies within the surrender. Yes, there are things that you may have accomplished without consulting God, but imagine what the outcome would have been if you did. Don’t short cut yourself of God’s favor because you believe you can do this on your own. For the word of God declares, those that wait on the Lord, shall not be ashamed (Psalm 25:3).
God’s outcome and victories are so much sweeter than that of your own. Your success is that much sweeter when you allow God to be your advocate.