Surrender

May 25, 2020 

“If we stay in quarantine any longer, our economy and businesses will be ruined!”

“Coming out right now basically means you don’t even care about the elderly in our community.” 

“It’s all politics. A political game.”

Facts are thrown around with little foundational understanding. News differs depending on the channel. Very few of us possess the medical knowledge to understand the science behind it all. 

Coming out of this will inevitably spark emotions and opinions. The world hasn’t done this before. None of us have. Some may be anxious to be around anyone and will tiptoe out like a deer into an open field. Others have been raring to go and will charge out like a bull let loose from a pen. Some might be angry that we came out all too soon while others are mad that we didn’t come out soon enough.

It’s so easy to get caught up in our own opinions and get locked into a tunnel mindset. I see this often in myself. But that’s when God pulls me close to himself and shows me the world from his viewpoint. From there, I span out to see others and begin to understand His compassion. 

While my husband has been able to work from home, there are professions where this just isn’t possible. I need to pray for those struggling with job loss and unemployment.

While I’m plenty tired as a stay-at-home mom managing cooking, cleaning, schooling, and childcare, there are some doing all this and trying to work a job from home. I need to encourage others.

While it fills me with joy to see pictures of families taking time to be creative with their children, hiking outdoors, and connecting with each other, not all children experience love and care at home. I need to make intercession on their behalf. 

While I may wish for quiet in the middle of noisy rambunctious family life, there are those who are isolated and desperate for companionship. I need to reach out to the lonely. 

1 Peter 4:12-14 says, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”

Our world is currently in a fiery trial, and many of us are pulsing with emotions and opinions. Certainly God gave us a mind to think and emotions to feel, but it’s the surrender of our will that allows God to work within this trial. The closer we get to God, the less we dwell on our emotions and opinions. In fact, we begin to dwell less on what others think as well. And it’s here, where we surrender and give God free reign that our thoughts align with his and our actions follow. And that’s when His compassion and love begin to channel through us to heal a hurting world. It took me a long time to realize that it is not what I can do for God, but it is my surrender that allows God to work. It’s a daily surrender that I don’t always get right, but the more I see how beautiful the work of God is, the easier the surrendering becomes. 

Let’s open God’s word and be drawn to Him. Let’s broaden our tunnel vision and see the world through His view. Let’s surrender so others can see the beauty of Christ in us.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13: 34-35