What does a surrendered life look like? A surrendered life means:
- Following God's lead without knowing where he's sending you;
- Waiting for God's timing without knowing when it will come;
- Expecting a miracle without knowing how God will provide;
- Trusting God's purpose without understanding the circumstances.
You know you're surrendered to God when you rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate the situation to your favor or forcing your agenda to the top. Surrender is letting go and letting God work. You don't have to always be in charge. Instead of trying harder, you just trust more.
You also know you're surrendered when you don't react to criticism and rush to defend yourself.
Surrendered hearts show up best in relationships. You are not self-serving, you don't edge others out, and you don't demand your rights.
The supreme example of a surrendered life is Jesus. The night before his crucifixion, Jesus surrendered himself to God's plan. He prayed, "Father, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine." Mark 14:36.
Jesus surrendered himself to God's will. He prayed, "God, if it is in your best interest to remove this suffering, please do so. But if it fulfills your purpose, that's what I want, too." Genuine surrender says, "Father, regardless of the problem or circumstance, if it is needed to fulfill your purpose and glory in my life, please don't take it away!"
This level of maturity doesn't come easy. In Jesus' case, he agonized so much over God's plan that he sweated drops of blood. Surrender is hard work. In our case, it requires intense warfare against our self-centered nature.
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