When we hear the term ‘surrender,’ our brains quickly resort to images of weakness, powerlessness and the inability to control our future. In our minds, proclaiming yourself powerless during challenging situations can, in a general sense, bring you to your knees and test your faith in more ways than one.
However, the opposite is true: giving power to our creator energizes our soul and helps us gain invaluable insight into the true nature of our world.
Whether we’re a newcomer to the realm of religion or we’ve been engrossed by the Lord’s message since we were a child, surrendering to God is essential. If you’re ready to get started, let’s begin building our relationship with our Lord and Savior!
1. Knowing What You Don’t Know
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before humbling.” (Proverbs 16:18)
When we look at this passage, a profound truth reveals itself to us: egotism is the root of man’s evil. When we learn to surrender and admit that we don’t know everything, or better, feign ignorance in the presence of argumentative individuals, we build a stronger relationship with God.
Individuals who have a strong spiritual bond with the Father are students of the bible, and they’re not afraid to say “I don’t know” when confronted with challenging questions or thoughts.
The ego is what the devil uses to seduce the minds of men and convince them they’re better off without spiritual practices in their life. For individuals who desire a stronger connection with their creator, dropping their ego and developing a sense of humility is the foundation for a budding spiritual bond.
2. Listen to Your Heart
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
God is with us every day of our lives, but we lazily drown out his voice with external thoughts, internal monologue and the enticing messages of evil. Have you met a person who made you feel uneasy, but when you examined this thought, you could not pinpoint the cause?
These feelings, often referred to as “gut instincts,” are God’s way of leading you from temptation and devilishness.
To build a relationship with the Lord and surrender to his immense power, we must first exercise the action of trusting our heart and following indescribable sensations guiding us from would-be catastrophes and turmoil.
When God knows you’re a willing and obedient servant, he makes the path to nirvana trivial to navigate and, when malevolent entities attempt to corrupt your soul, your intuition will assist you to steer clear of wickedness.
3. Stay Busy; Stay Productive
“Idle hands are the devil’s workshop; idle lips are his mouthpiece.” (Proverbs 16:27-29)
Although this may sound counterintuitive, maintaining a busy attitude and staying productive helps us become closer to our Father. God gave his followers hands, feed, eyes and a sound mind as tools for good, but we routinely waste our gifts by watching television, playing video games, scrolling through social media and gossiping with our friends over text messages.
If God is pulling at your heartstrings and asking you to surrender to his will, developing a healthy work routine is paramount. Labor makes you feel good, too: when lost in our duties and manifesting God’s miracles, we don’t have time to indulge in evil behavior or entertaining subversive messages from less-than-savory characters.
And if you don’t have an avenue to dedicate your spare time, here are some ideas to get started:
- Exercise
- Writing
- Developing additional work-related skills
- Reading the Bible
- Performing charity work
- Planting a garden
- Hiking in God’s nature
- Crochet and knitting
These hobbies are wholesome, rewarding and most importantly, brilliant for surrendering yourself to God.
4. Live In the Moment
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)
There is a belief that living in the past is stroking one’s ego, focusing on the future is our pride talking and humility is rooted in the present. God wants his children to live in the current moment and focus on their blessings, but we regularly stray from this path and find ourselves daydreaming about far-off futures, or worse, past accomplishments.
While this behavior causes no issues in small doses, too much mental musing leads to stagnation and restlessness. Instead, take pride in what you are doing now and take each moment as it comes.
God created everything your eyes can see, so why not spend an extra moment soaking in the euphoric experience of the present?
5. Pray For Strength and Clarity
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened for you.” (Matthew 7:7-11)
Lastly, surrender to God by asking for guidance and assistance in all things. Are you about to head into a job interview for a new career path? Arrive 15 minutes early and spend time in the parking lot praying for assistance. Do you have a challenging event on the distant horizon?
Ask the Lord to make all obstacles apparent and give strength in times of weakness.
While these examples may seem trivial, they act as the basis for a healthy relationship with God. Our creator adores guiding his faithful servants who surrender to his message, and when we require outside wisdom and robustness, our Lord is all too willing to extend a helping hand.