Fully Surrendered to Christ

[Pearl]

Fully Surrendered to Christ.

That was the heading of my daily bible reading today. The passage was Mark 8:34–38. And the question it posed at the end was, "What do you need to surrender in order to truly follow Jesus? What are some personal ambitions you may be holding on to?"

It got me thinking about if I am full surrender to Christ. I would like to have said yes I definitely am, or even yes I think I am. But I couldn't.

That complete surrender has always scared me a bit as I wondered what God might ask of me. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. I know there have been times when I know I definitely was surrendered, but also times when I definitely wasn't.

But I can see when I look back that the more mature I have become, both in Christ as well as in life, the deeper my surrender has become. I don't think it's all the way yet but it's getting there.


Some people, like the man the devotional was about, seem to be able to surrender everything in one go, as it were, but I suspect there are more like me who have the desire but still hold something back.

Father, help me to set aside whatever hinders me from fully surrendering to You.

 

[Spyder]

Fully Surrendered to Christ.

That was the heading of my daily bible reading today. The passage was Mark 8:34–38. And the question it posed at the end was, "What do you need to surrender in order to truly follow Jesus? What are some personal ambitions you may be holding on to?"

It got me thinking about if I am full surrender to Christ. I would like to have said yes I definitely am, or even yes I think I am. But I couldn't.

That complete surrender has always scared me a bit as I wondered what God might ask of me. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. I know there have been times when I know I definitely was surrendered, but also times when I definitely wasn't.

But I can see when I look back that the more mature I have become, both in Christ as well as in life, the deeper my surrender has become. I don't think it's all the way yet but it's getting there.


Some people, like the man the devotional was about, seem to be able to surrender everything in one go, as it were, but I suspect there are more like me who have the desire but still hold something back.

Father, help me to set aside whatever hinders me from fully surrendering to You.

I did not surrender for a few years after I had claimed to.

I even went to a few different churches to ask Pastors why I did not have the comfort and joy that seemed apparent in others. The answers ran from "pray and submit" to the laying on of hands. Still nothing.

Then, while working out of the U.S., I was reading both scripture and commentary books - in serious frustration. I finally got hit with the pearl I was seeking. I knew that I had never surrendered myself to God. I pretended only to, self-assured because others commented how well I was able to preach and teach. Yep, I thought I had it "together,:

I am still striving day by day to die to myself. It is a journey, but I have contentment now more than I ever had before.

 

[Pearl]

I am still striving day by day to die to myself. It is a journey, but I have contentment now more than I ever had before.

I believe most of us are like that - striving to die to self - but I too have come to a place of peace of mind and contentment. A place of letting go and letting God.

 

[amadeus]

I believe most of us are like that - striving to die to self - but I too have come to a place of peace of mind and contentment. A place of letting go and letting God.

Indeed, sister, each morning in my time with God I strive yet again to surrender anything and everything not yet surrendered. I ask God to help me in this recalling Jesus] word here:

Mt 7:7	Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
And James' words here: Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

So however it continues hopefully always moving closer to Him... but remembering always that we cannot do it alone and even if we are moving how much greater than any of us is our God? We can become more likely because He said so... but never, no never equal to Him.

1jo 3:2

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.