It's ironic how we sometimes try to control things when things are obviously out of control. In the months leading up to our wedding day, things got out of control for me and my then girlfriend and now wife, Ces. Emotions were flaring; circumstances were jumping out of control; finances weren't enough, and we just wanted it done and over with.
One night I was driving her home and was obviously exhausted, burnt-out and feeling hopeless from all the wedding preparations and intimidating thoughts of starting off in our marriage wrong. Before turning the curb to drop her off at her doorstep, I pulled over and asked if she wanted to pray before we parted ways. We did that, and prayed for one thing: surrender.
There's a wonderful paradox behind the Christian surrender that makes it both the worst and best thing that you can do. It's the worst because you can't surrender partially. In a war, once a side surrenders, everyone and everything has to give way. It's no different with us. But it's also the best choice because we know that we surrender our circumstances to the most trustworthy hands ever. We surrender them to God's hands.
Times of trial were allowed by God for one singular reason: to lead us to surrender. That's what Jesus Himself felt in the Garden of Gethsemane where, overwhelmed by the circumstances leading to what would be the most defining moment in all history, He simply said to the Father, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." (Luke 22:42)
But sometimes when faced with surrender induced by trial, we try to fight that surrender and continue to have our own way with things. We try to put matters into our own hands when our business starts failing, our finances start dropping, our marriage starts shaking or churches start dwindling.
But when things are out of our control and we're undeniably at our weakest, it's time we give God leeway to show Himself to be infinitely strong in our weakness.
No one likes conflict and no one enjoys surrender. But they are a necessary inconvenience to see the greater things of God happen. When we lose control, it only shows that it's time to give God complete control because it was never supposed to be ours to begin with.
Are you in a situation where you are trying to gain back control of your life, finances, relationships, career or even self? Surrender control to God and continue to seek and desire Him first and you will taste and see His goodness.
