Standing Strong Means to Surrender
By Leanna Simpson, Agape Executive Director
LUKE 9:23
“And He said to all, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”
When I think about my position with Christ, I often reflect on this well-known picture by Thomas Blackshear.
This picture symbolizes to me that moment when we come to the end of ourselves, our resources, and our fleshly attempts to solve the issues in our lives. God then uses this as a platform to work on our behalf. But not only that…we are forced to look at our reflection and see who we are and see who God really is.
God often allows us to get to the very end of ourselves in our current situations. He watches us struggle until we come to the very end of everything…our strength, our fortitude, our hope, and even our ability to cope. He wants us at the place where we finally conclude it’s too much, where we just can’t take it anymore. It’s when we finally give up our reliance on our own strength that God is given the opportunity to take over and do His work, show His solution, and reveal His salvation.
Just like the parable of the prodigal son, we as children are prone to wander and squander our time, our talents, our treasures, and the gift of the relationship that our heavenly Father freely gives. But as our God is a profoundly good Father, He allows us “what we want” and waits for our return. He does not wander. He does not change. He waits and loves us all the same.
You see, surrender sounds so vulnerable, so weak, so defeated…but, oh how very wrong that assessment is when we are speaking of our good Father.
Surrender is like this picture. It is taking an honest look at who I am, a broken person who cannot stand, and is being held by the One Whose hands I pierced. It is looking at this One and saying: I will trust You; I will let You hold me- all of me- and heal every broken piece and mend every part of my broken heart. This is me giving my all to You and saying: hold me Jesus because I cannot do this on my own anymore.
Standing Strong through surrender is acknowledging that every bit of who I am is being overseen by every bit of who my God is.
Scripture Reading:
Luke 15: 11-32
Worship Song:
“Hold On To Me” by Lauren Daigle