Absolute Surrender

What comes to your mind when you hear the word surrender?

It can easily have both good and bad connotations.

For example, if two armies are at war and one is overrun by the other, the losing commander may choose to try to negotiate terms of surrender.

This is always scary and humiliating for the losing army.

So, surrender, in this case, is something to be feared because of the hostility and hatred of the enemy.

In contrast, picture a 5 year old child standing on the edge of a swimming pool in which his father is holding out his arms urging his son to jump into his arms.

In order to jump into his father’s arms, he has to surrender to his father’s will, believing that his father will catch him.

What is the real key to the son taking this leap of faith?

He has to believe that his father really loves him enough to catch him.

Now, let me ask you: What emotions arise when you consider totally surrendering to Papa God?

I know that when I was much younger, the idea terrified me.

You see, I grew up in a gospel preaching, legalistic church.

They taught salvation by grace followed by keeping a set of rules, and Papa’s acceptance of me was based solely on my performance.

If I failed to keep the rules, He would zap me with the loss of a loved one.

I knew I couldn’t be perfect, so I thought surrendering to Him meant surrendering to a life of misery….being forced to do what I dreaded (be single, eat bugs, and live in the Amazon).

My real problem stemmed from not truly understanding Papa’s unconditional love for me.

I thought I had to perform to get His love, but the reality is that Papa has always loved me even before I was born, and nothing I have ever done or not done has influenced His love.

The more I learn to surrender to His love for me the more quickly and easily I will choose to walk in obedience to Him.

There is no room for fear in my relationship with Him (other than godly fear or reverence).  Why?

Papa’s complete love for me repels fear.

Satan is constantly seeking to undermine our faith in Papa’s love.

Chief among his tactics is to get us to evaluate Papa’s love through our circumstances.

If my life is easy and pain free, then Papa loves me, but if Papa allows pain or trauma in my life, then He doesn’t love me.

If this is the proper test of Papa’s love, then He did not love Jesus!

It was His faith in Papa’s love that enabled Him to obey to the point of death on the cross to redeem us from sin.

He knew Papa would not leave Him in the grave.

He knew that His sacrifice would redeem us, and so He surrendered to Papa’s will without fear.

Beloved, are you wrestling with Papa instead of resting in His loving arms?

Perhaps, Papa is patiently waiting for you to trust in His love and surrender to His path of healing or ministry.

Why not ask the Holy Spirit to search you and test and see if you have believed lies against Papa’s character and love?

Whatever He shows you, surrender it to Him and receive His truth and love in its place.

The more we surrender to His unfailing love, the easier it is to walk in obedience as His Spirit leads us as He led Jesus.

Blessings!

Robyn Henning