SaturdayReflection

  10^th June 2023

Surrender

Surrender, a word that is despised by the human race.
It conveys weakness and vulnerability. Surrender means to submit.
But, if you want to succeed, you have to be tough and fight through it.
That's the world's approach to things.

In a world full of instant gratification, how can you stop looking for
quick solutions?
We are taught to work hard, seek the problem, find the answer,
and move forward.
From a young age, we are told to be responsible, so we can grow up
to be successful.

Jesus teaches something very different.

Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is God incarnate.
This means He has the power of God in His hands, but yet He used those
hands to wash the feet of His friends.
He was humble, kind, and simply obeyed everything His Father asked of Him.
Even to death.
He never ceased to pray with people, teach them, and support them.

His ministry was completely different than what the church leaders
of His time were doing. And even some church leaders of today.

His life of service is the model He wants us to follow.
His love was completely sacrificial, putting everyone else's needs
above His own.

He surrendered every moment to His Father's will.
He endured temptation, heartache, and anger just as we do in our flesh,
yet He did not sin.

If you race to a finish line you'll never achieve it in this world.
Just stop.
It's not always I'm too busy, or I don't have time for that.

Debilitating thoughts that paralyze your heart are not from Jesus.
I know the battle with them, and Jesus does too.
One moment is all it takes -
one moment where you're asking Jesus to help you.

Through the Holy Spirit, you feel something working inside of you
the moment you sit down and start to pray ...with your heart.
You may cry, feel goosebumps, or be overwhelmed by His peace.
Your relationship is built in these moments.

But prayer isn't just for you to talk to Him.
It's for you to listen when He speaks to you.
As a result, you mature in your faith.
The more time you spend, the more you grow.
It's not really a destination but a journey.

Your prayer time is sacred because it builds your relationship
with Jesus.
In that time of you letting out your worries, fears, and humble
requests, also try to take a moment to listen to Him.

I know you're probably thinking,
What?!
Is Jesus really going to talk to me?
Yep. But maybe not in ways you might expect.

He may subtly speak to your heart, and you know it's Him.
Or, He may put something in your face so big that you know
it's Him without a doubt.
It's not just about listening for His voice in your life,
but also that nudge from the Holy Spirit guiding you down
a certain path.

If you want the truth, you got to go right to the source.
There is no substitute for your time reading God's word.

You gain understanding in a totally different way.
When you learn about Jesus' character, it helps you recognise
what He's doing in your life.
You know it's Him because you know how He works from
reading about Him.

It helps you focus on what Jesus has done in the lives of people
when He was here.
Which also helps you recognise similar events in your own life.

The current events happening are not new.
When is the last time you helped someone 'just because?'

Shifting your heart from what can I get to what can I give
is a wonderful way to focus on Jesus.
That's what He's all about.


I hope this helps you focus on Jesus.
I know it's easy to get caught up in everything going on
in your life right now.

Especially when there are so many uncertainties.
But isn't that the best reason to spend some time with the
One who can actually make a difference?

Please share this post with one person you think
can benefit from it.

When Kelly isn't sipping cold coffee at her computer (aka writing),
she's pretending to be the mighty God of Thunder alongside her 9-year-old Spiderman.
Her husband joins the play as the incredible Hulk because he's smashingly handsome.
A new little avenger has arrived to turn their fighting trio into a fantastic four,
and it's all because of God's grace.
Being a nurse has taught her true empathy, and being a writer helps
her support people in ways she never knew possible.