Surrender To God Is The Only Way To Go: 3 Reasons You May Not Have

I grew up in the church and believed.
I’ll never know for sure what happened to me at 26 years old. Did I get saved? Or did I simply get serious about the faith I’d had since I was seven and “prayed the prayer?“
Because up to then, I had not lived like a Christian (very much).
Suddenly, though, it became apparent to me that if Jesus was worth anything, He was worth everything.
Now, I saw that there was nothing more important than what He wanted.
If the God of the universe sent His Son to forgive me and call me to be His, then what else was there but to surrender?
So that’s what I did, somewhat gradually.
It’s what I’m still doing.
First, the initial decision was: ”Okay, God, I’ll live like a Christian.”
Then, months later, I realized I had not given Him my life because there were things I was holding back. For instance, I was not willing to discuss my career choices with Him. I was an opera singer, and I was afraid He would call me to be a pastor instead.
But I understood that surrender meant surrender. So, I decided one day to tell Him He could have my life.
He took it and has been directing my steps ever since.
Maybe I have not surrendered perfectly, but I have been constantly willing to try.
He has been faithful to do what is necessary to get me into His will.
I’m curious about you. If you are a Christian, have you seen Jesus this way? Have you realized that you gotta give Him everything if He is who He says He is?
Did you ever say, “Okay, Jesus, you can have me”? I genuinely want to know because after being a pastor for 23 years, I can tell you that trying to go halfway with Jesus will usually lead to problems, sometimes disasters.
Here are three reasons you might hesitate to surrender your life and path to God’s control fully.

1. You may not get to do what you think you want.

I confessed my fear to a wise old Christian lady when I realized I was being called to be a pastor and a church planter. She looked at me and said, “You know, Jeff, I think God will make you want what He wants you to want.”
The truth was, the reason I thought He may be calling me is because I felt I secretly wanted Him to. I can’t think of anything since that He has wanted without making me want it, too. Could this be an interpretation of “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Ps 37:4)?

2. Fear of True Transformation

For whatever reason, we all fear change to some degree. We know we’d like to change our bad habits, but there is something akin to the fear of death when it comes to losing the person we are and becoming the person He has made us to be.
Without realizing it, we are hardly up to the discomfort of getting reshaped. We might lose friends, change lifestyles, and “live different.” It can seem that annihilation of what we currently are is inevitable, and while that should be a good thing, a deep part of us is afraid of dying. But Jesus said we’d have to die if we want to live (Mt 10:39), so, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we get on with it and let God transform us.

3. Unresolved Pain

We’re all hurting in some way—some more than others. Jesus will heal you, but you know it might not be easy. There may be some turmoil and reliving the worst times in your life. You may have to come face-to-face with stuff you did and prefer to avoid it. That is totally understandable.
But Jesus is trustworthy, and He will bear you up through it. He will walk with you the whole way. His call to you is,

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Mt 11:28-30 ESV)

At the end of the day, if you and I will not evade the most fundamental truth there is–Jesus is God, and He wants you–then there is only one thing to do. The outcome of the truth is the right outcome.
Overthinking what might happen to you if you surrender your life to Him is useless. You could not possibly know what He’ll do. Just do it, and trust Him for the rest.
I’m praying for you today, and I hope you’ll pray for me.
 
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