Surrender

Surrendering is hard. 

It hurts sometimes because we have to give up what we want in order to change.  As the picture above says "the intersection between acceptance and change"

I accept that I need to change my physical body, so I surrender to the training of someone else in order to affect change.

I accept that I need to change my spiritual body, so I surrender to the leading of the Father in order to affect change. 

I accept that I need to change my emotional body, so Isurrender the feelings of doubt, insecurity, and failure in order to affect change.

Every day we have to surrender, whether we realize it or not.  We see what needs to change in our lives and we are handed the tools to affect that change.  The difference between someone who is stuck and someone who is moving forward is whether they will "surrender" their will to the one who is affecting that change.

Is it easy?  NO!  Its hard, it hurts, it can painful and nauseating.  When God calls us to lay aside the things that are holding us in bondage - fear, emotional anxiety, past hurts, unforgiveness, pride, idolatry - it can be hard to let those things go.  We've held onto them and built our lives around them.  They have fueled us for so long we are scared to let them go.  But, if we surrender to His leading, letting those things go will break us out of bondage and into a life of freedom we have never imagined.

Gal 5:1  "It was for FREEDOM that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject to a yoke of slavery".

I took a fitness class last night.  It was hard.  It was painful.  It burned.  I wanted to quit, say I couldn't do it.  But, I knew that if I wanted to break free of the chains that bound me, the chains of self-doubt, fear, insecurity, then I needed to stand firm.  I had others there encouraging me, telling me they needed more out of me than I was giving.  I wanted to say "Its all I've got"...but I knew there was more - and I knew there were no excuses.  I won't be set free from all that is holding me back until I break through the barriers in my own mind.  I want to be free from all I heard when I was a kid - being called fat and made fun of because of what I wore and where I went to church.  I want to break free from the bondage of feeling like I'm not good enough because the most important man in my life (dad) walked out on me when I needed him most.  I want to break free from the bondage of a failing in my marriage and making my kids grow up in a broken home.  God is there, pushing me, encouraging me and telling me He needs more out of me than I'm giving.  Last night was an eye opener for me.  I'm on a journey - I have so far to go and yet I took the first step.  The first step physically and also spiritually - of laying my will down and following the will of the one who is leading me.

Today I surrender.  Every single day I have to surrender.  It is a daily process and sometimes I will fail and pick up the baggage that I am no longer meant to carry...and when I do, I will feel the weight of those chains that bind me and I pray that God, in His infinite wisdom and grace, taps me on the shoulder and says "I need a little more out you today Stacie.  Come on, dig deep.  I want perfection from you and so I need you to keep working hard - and SURRENDER".