Psalm 16:11a (AMP)
You will show me the path of life;
In Your Presence is fullness of JOY;
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Surrender
Surrender
: to yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demand
: to give up completely or agree to forgo especially in favor of another
: to give (oneself) up into the power of another especially as a prisoner
: to give (oneself) over to something (as an influence)
(Merriam-Webster dictionary)
As this week of Lent begins, the one word that comes to mind is 'surrender'.
I found out earlier as I was delving into my 2016 word, 'joy', that they were inextricably linked.
Hebrews 12:1-2(AMP)
Jesus, the Example
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us,2 [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].
Surrender of all baggage and distractions and turning our eyes upon Jesus results in joy.
There is much to be anxious about in my life.
Yes, anxious thoughts threaten to flood my mind and play in an unending cycle in my conscious moments. But... I am choosing JOY. I am choosing to surrender my anxious thoughts and circumstances for the joy set before me, implanted in me. I give up! I can't do it! I choose to embrace and endure the "cross" that He has allowed. I choose to let Him carry it. He carried it once and for all time. He chose to surrender to His Father's will. In doing so, He carried all I would have to endure. Thank You, Lord.
(Linking up with Bonnie Gray at Faith Barista #OneWordCoffee)
I like the connection between joy and surrender. I love how God speaks to us in the most amazing and wonderful ways. I'm stopping by from Bonnie's blog. God bless!
Thank you, this really helped me today as I've been caught up in a lot of anxious and upsetting thoughts. To lay them down before Jesus and look upon HIM instead - this is the path to joy that I've been groping around for and failing to find till now.
Hi Renee and Morag, thank you for dropping by! I literally have to drive those anxious thoughts away by filling my mind with praise and worship, like Chris Tomlin's How Great is Our God. May His joy fill you both!
I love your discovery of how surrender and joy are linked, Sita. Whole-hearted surrender is still difficult for me, but I'm learning step by step. I pray God will help us to surrender all distractions and fix our eyes on Jesus alone. Blessings and hugs to you!
"in doing so, He carried all that I would have to endure" Thanks for sharing these precious thoughts! This surrendering, and choosing Joy, is right where I am at also. I'm visiting from "Faith Barista" today.
Trudy, it is still a day to day journey of surrender. It is never a 'fait accompli". And yes, in surrender, part of me gets free and is immediately filled with joy, because it is a part that has once more reconnected with her Father. Love you! Hugs to you too!
Hi Bettie, thank you for dropping by. It is a comfort to know that there are so many of us on that same road, intentionally choosing joy in the midst of anything but. Blessings to you.
7 comments:
I like the connection between joy and surrender. I love how God speaks to us in the most amazing and wonderful ways. I'm stopping by from Bonnie's blog. God bless!
Thank you, this really helped me today as I've been caught up in a lot of anxious and upsetting thoughts. To lay them down before Jesus and look upon HIM instead - this is the path to joy that I've been groping around for and failing to find till now.
Hi Renee and Morag, thank you for dropping by! I literally have to drive those anxious thoughts away by filling my mind with praise and worship, like Chris Tomlin's How Great is Our God. May His joy fill you both!
I love your discovery of how surrender and joy are linked, Sita. Whole-hearted surrender is still difficult for me, but I'm learning step by step. I pray God will help us to surrender all distractions and fix our eyes on Jesus alone. Blessings and hugs to you!
"in doing so, He carried all that I would have to endure" Thanks for sharing these precious thoughts! This surrendering, and choosing Joy, is right where I am at also. I'm visiting from "Faith Barista" today.
Trudy, it is still a day to day journey of surrender. It is never a 'fait accompli". And yes, in surrender, part of me gets free and is immediately filled with joy, because it is a part that has once more reconnected with her Father. Love you! Hugs to you too!
Hi Bettie, thank you for dropping by. It is a comfort to know that there are so many of us on that same road, intentionally choosing joy in the midst of anything but. Blessings to you.
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