Recently, while leading worship for our children’s ministry, I was explaining to a group of kindergarteners what “surrender” was. The easiest way I could explain what it feels like to surrender was to have them put their hand in a tight fist. After holding it for a bit, I instructed them to let go. As they let out a sigh, I said, “Do you feel that relief? That’s what surrender feels like.”
It may seem like an oversimplification of surrender, but sometimes we need that simple reminder, even as adults. Are you holding so tightly to things in life that it’s beginning to hurt? As you cling with white knuckles to what you think you need, can you feel the sting of anxiousness while watching it slip through your fingers? Me too.
Surrender is hard. There’s something inside of us that thinks that we know best. It takes continually renewing our minds to trust that God is who He says He is. Reading Psalm 104, you can see clearly how God crafted and controls the world, providing for every creature on the earth.
“You placed the world on its foundation so it would never be moved. You clothed the earth with floods of water, water that covered even the mountains.” – Psalm 104:5-6 NLT
“You send rain on the mountains from Your heavenly home, and You fill the earth with the fruit of Your labor. You cause grass to grow for the livestock and plants for people to use.” – Psalm 104:13-14 NLT
“They all depend on You to give them food as they need it.” – Psalm 104:27 NLT
Each of these verses echo the words of Jesus in Luke 12:25: “Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to Him than any birds!” (NLT).
This question comes to mind when reading these verses: Will I try to control my life even though I never can, or will I rest in surrender?
It’s evident from these Scriptures that no matter how hard we try, we aren’t the ones controlling the narrative. We can try to do everything we can to keep ourselves safe, to think through every possible issue we could come up against, and everything in between, but we will never know what tomorrow holds. These are humbling thoughts.
While we will never be able to know the future, we know the One who does. Not only do we know the God who holds every moment, but we are loved and cared for by Him.
God works on our behalf. God sees our every moment. God knows what is to come and He is moving behind the scenes to prepare the way for His children—for us! There is hope and comfort in this truth. Today, we have the freedom to release the desire for control we are clinging to. Today, we can rest in surrender, knowing the true nature of our Heavenly Father who we’re giving it all to.
A Prayer for Surrender
Heavenly Father, You are the one who clothes the flowers and feeds even the smallest birds. If nothing that they need is lost on You, I choose to believe that nothing I need is forgotten either. God, take the fear, anxiousness, and worry I feel as I try to control what is happening in my life. I release the things I am clinging to. I release the desire I have to take things into my own hands. I receive Your peace. I receive the truth that You are working on my behalf, hearing my every cry, and providing for my every need. I choose to surrender my wants, my needs, and everything else to You. I trust You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
