The Beauty of Surrender
Is surrender worth it?
And if so, why is it worth it? Better yet why is living for Christ worth it?
Is there beauty in surrender?
Back in the day, my brother and I were guilty of engaging in a quite brutal sibling rivalry…
As a young girl, I rarely shied away from a physical brawl that was always initiated by the youngest Brown (of course). However, there came a time when my little brother was no longer little, and the intensity of our previously manageable wrestling sessions became a bit too much. Do any of you relate to this?
To my disappointment, I was forced to surrender my efforts before getting completely pummeled. Fortunately for us, we both learned how to have fun in other ways. This primarily meant we avoided one another at all costs and spent time with our friends. Doing so was much cooler than hanging out with your family member anyway!
And they look so innocent! (Annie and Walt Brown)
Spiritual surrender is often marked with nervousness and even hesitation. The action of laying down personal desires to pursue the God of heaven in obedience is unnatural and something that Satan hates. Surrender is not a one-time act occurring only at salvation. It is consistently required on our faith journey for transformative growth to take place. Jesus plainly explains the idea of surrender in Matthew 16 when telling the disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him. Our surrender to Christ is our willingness to follow Him despite our flesh. To follow Him, we must be obedient to Him. The love we have for our Savior is unveiled in our obedience to His commands (John 14).
Perhaps receiving His call to serve in ministry required the opening of your hands and lifting your arms in surrender to the life you could have never arranged for yourself. Maybe surrender meant ending a relationship with someone dear to you because it did not honor God. For the Apostle Paul, surrender meant imprisonment and severe persecution. Pride, attachment, fear, and control are just a few factors that exist within each of us, making surrender exceedingly difficult at times. This raises some fair questions. Is surrender worth it? And if so, why is it worth it? Better yet why is living for Christ worth it? My thought on this is quite simple - there is beauty in the surrender.
There is beauty in the surrender!
Strength in the Journey
Ministry is not for the faint of heart. In other words, ministry is a calling and commitment that will require daily submission and surrender. Certain seasons will feel incredible, and others will be heart-wrenching in their difficulty. As youth pastors and ministry leaders, we have the unique opportunity to invest our time, energy, and passion into the next generation. The reality is that we simply cannot do this alone. To surrender daily to the mission and vision that God has laid before us, we will need a team of support from like-minded individuals. Outside of ministry, our personal lives will be affected by stormy seasons, and the encouragement of brothers and sisters is tremendous in value. Aaron and Hur held up the arms of Moses as the battle waged beneath them.
The victory existed in a posture of surrender to God, one that was only obtained with the physical help of a brother and a dear friend. At times, our surrender to the call of Christ will need the support of a caring community. We may need a hand to guide us when being tempted to walk away. The prayers of a co-leader are oftentimes the greatest source of encouragement to stay the course, pointing us back to the beautiful presence of God.
Being strong in the journey will mean that we acknowledge where our strength comes from. Jesus has given us an Advocate, the Holy Spirit. He speaks through us and brings to remembrance all that we have been taught (John 14:26). When we are weak, He is strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-11).
“The prayers of a co-leader are oftentimes the greatest source of encouragement to stay the course, pointing us back to the beautiful presence of God.”
Satisfaction in Christ
Surrender and satisfaction are complimentary of one another. Believing that there is nothing better than Christ propels us in a genuine desire to serve, honor, obey and please Him. I have seen this in every facet of my life: marriage, ministry, and now motherhood. Every good and perfect gift is undoubtedly from above, yet the Giver of the gifts remains the best there is. Furthermore, obedience always precedes the blessing. Deuteronomy 28:1-14 lays out numerous rewards that the Israelites would experience if they followed God and obeyed His commands. The blessing does not always mean a tangible present will fall into our laps from heaven. A deeper reliance on God and greater trust in His plan for us IS the blessing, and it will last forever. Upon salvation, there was a release of the tangible and material within the world in exchange for eternal treasures, existing only in the person of Jesus. By letting go of fleeting pleasures, we experience the fullness of joy in a relationship with the Lord. May we remember that the best things in life and ministry pale in comparison to a surrendered heart after God and His Word.
Leader, you are called to teach and serve students. Every small act of obedience and moment of surrender have led you to now, this very season you are in.
May you be encouraged to obey the commands of God even when it is hard. Remember, God has given you a family of support in the individuals that you minister alongside. Whether your arms must be physically held, or your heart is being spiritually mended through the prayers of those you love, your pursuit of surrendered godliness is holy. Stay the course.
Be Encouraged,
-AB
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