Thursday, January 8, 2009

I Surrender All

We had our First Wednesday communion service at Blue Ridge Community Church (BRCC) last night. I love all of our services at BRCC but our First Wednesday and Thirsty services easily top the list. I just love the close intimate feeling of those services and music is one of my spiritual pathways. Last night Angie was leading the music and prior to singing “I Surrender All” she asked us to make this our prayer and when we were ready to surrender it all to God, or at least want to want to surrender it all we could stand and join. Immediately I was ready to stand up in my proclamation of surrendering all to God; but I couldn’t. I got to thinking, what does it mean to surrender all to God? I mean, sure I am giving more and more over to Him but to surrender all is a big deal. I have plans and dreams; I want to travel and see the world; I want to change jobs and do what I love. I want to lie my life and I do want to live it for God but it really hit me when I heard the words “I Surrender All”.


I have control of my life and to surrender it all to God gives Him total control in all aspects. I had control when I made all of my selfish choices that caused myself and others pain. I had control when I went out on my own for a new job and ran up debt. I had control when I didn’t go to my college classes and dropped out. I had control when I would yell at my kids. I had no control. I am not in a position to manage my own life because I do not truly know what is best for me and what is best for those around me but God does.


The Bible says in Jeremiah 29:11 (New Living Translation) that “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” The creator of the Heavens and Earth has a plan for me. God knows what I need and what is best for me. I don’t know what God will do in my life but I know the promises He has made and I have seen how much I can damage my own life when I try to have power over it. I stood up and proclaimed to God and to all that I Surrender All.


On a side note, as I am getting ready to post this I am hearing these words from the song Mighty to Save:
“I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender (I surrender)”

4 comments:

Simple Complexity said...

This is a hard one for me. I want to surrender all but I have a hard time doing so. I go through times where I think I have and think I do but I then get myself into a situation and I know that I haven't. I hate that I fight with letting go of it all, I wish I could, I know I could if I could just stop trying to control my life.

Surrendering all is something I think most people say they do but don't. I know a few people in my life who have done it and I wish I could. I know I'm being selfish and pigheaded and won't get anywhere being that way, but I haven't quite gotten to a place where I can just let it all go. I'm too scared, what an oxymoron right? I'm too scared to surrender all to God who is there for me no matter what. This is something I'm struggling with right now and so I appreciate you writing this.

ryan said...

great post. my name is Ryan and i live in Richmond, VA. i found your blog by one of those blog lists....on an atheists page non the less! God is good!

very encouraging bro. keep it up.

God Bless.

Joshua Minso said...

Thank you Ryan for taking the time to comment. I am very happy that you found my blog and enjoyed it. I have no idea how many people God will touch through this and it is encouraging to get some feedback. Thank you.

DancingInTheField said...

Surrendering completely is such a hard thing to do, yet so rewarding. So often I find myself giving something to God only to quickly take it back, or not totally letting it go thinking God won't notice. I think all to often people (meaning Christians) get caught up in the moment of worship and don't think about what they are really proclaiming. We joke that many succumb to the "peer pressure stand" where one person does, then a few more, so then everyone else does bc they don't want to be the only ones sitting. Good for you for taking the time to really THINK about why you were being moved to stand.