Surrender Takes Work (Day 26 - Hope Against Hope)

Dying to ourselves is no small feat.  There's a fleshly part of us that wants to control, to dominate, to steer the wheel so to speak. 

We strive to be our best selves.  We are involved with so much activity in our day to day lives.  From relationships to work, we are busy doing.  Left to ourselves, we will treat our relationship with God the same way.  Filled with activity and seeking approval based on our works. 

But to let go of our ability to do, we must labour to completely surrender ourselves to Christ.  He is not interested in anything we do in ourselves.  

To allow Him to work in us is the real work.  As I've studied the Bible, those who were most used by God had the uncomfortable task of yielding themselves completely to God.  

This does not come easy.  It feels risky, uncertain and downright scary.  But yet it is so freeing!  We have to get 'us' out of the way and learn to rest in Him.  To trust in Him.  To be content in Him.

Jesus did this.  He was so anxious of what He knew was to come, but He rested in God's will.  He then was able to fulfill it even though it caused Him much pain and agony as He died for our sins on the cross.

He trusted God already knew the outcome.  There was a greater good as a result.  

Surrender takes work.  It is a beautiful work.  It is the true gospel.  It is holy.  It is what we who represent Christ to the earth are called to do.  

Fight to die daily.  Fight to live for Him wholly.  Fight to surrender.  You will win in the end. 

                      

This is Day 26 of a 31 day series of “Hope Against Hope”. To read all of the posts in this series, click here. To read what several other bloggers are writing for the month of October, click here

Sunday's Prayer of Hope and Encouragement (Day 25 - Hope Against Hope)

This weekend has been absolutely beautiful for my hubby and I!

It was so refreshing to get away, relax and enjoy each other away from the busyness life often brings.

Now we are back home safely and if we're not careful we'll soon allow reality to set in and lose the tranquility and peacefulness we experienced this weekend.

However this doesn't have to be the case.  We can be refreshed by the presence of God continually and live in His peace.  

Please pray with me:

O Lord, help me to abide in Your presence.  In You, my joy is full and I am in perfect peace.  Without You, I can do nothing.  I am nothing apart from You.   

Occupy every area of my life with more of You.  Help me to surrender all to you, withholding nothing.  I've tried living without You and life is so much sweeter in Your embrace. 

Surrender, Lord is a choice I choose to make.  When trials come, enable me to honor my choice.  I choose You above everything.

In Jesus' name.  Amen.

                      

This is Day 25 of a 31 day series of “Hope Against Hope”. To read all of the posts in this series, click here. To read what several other bloggers are writing for the month of October, click here

Surrender All (Day 24 - Hope Against Hope

Today's nugget of hope is to encourage you to surrender all to Jesus.  Give Him everything.  Allow Him to pick up the broken pieces of your heart.  

Let Him in.  He doesn't want us to endure anything alone.  Instead, He will carry our burdens for us if we let Him.

This can be such a relief!  I urge you to let go. He wants it ALL.

                      

This is Day 24 of a 31 day series of “Hope Against Hope”. To read all of the posts in this series, click here. To read what several other bloggers are writing for the month of October, click here

Holy Surrender Part II (Day 23 - Hope Against Hope)

Surrender is a tremendous act of humility, but also displays great strength.  

Life has a way of humbling us.  It strips us of the mindset of self-glorification and egotism.  We are forced to disrobe, baring all.  The good, the bad and the ugly.

One of things I most struggled with when my daughter died was feelings of inadequacy and utter embarrassment.  My reputation of seemingly having it all together was ruined.  It was hard for me to face people.  I wanted to isolate myself.  I didn't want people to see me hurting or mourning because it made me  seem weak.  What a humbling experience!

Surrender has to come from a place of humility.  But how do we surrender?

First we must choose to accept exactly where we are is exactly where we should be. Ouch!  It may not feel good, but this is a choice we must make, which brings me to my next point.

We must not allow our feelings to control us.  Feelings are fickle and fleshly led, not spirit led. 

We have to understand our experiences are to grow us.  Grow us into what you may ask.  The ultimate plan for all of us is to look and act more like Jesus.  We are to continually grow to be like Him.

Therefore, it is essential that we know Him.  Not know only of His character, but know Him intimately.  Surrender is futile if we don't know whom we surrender to.

In knowing Him, we have to desire Him, desire to be like Him more than we desire anything else.  

This is the heart of surrender.  Not your will, but His.  Allowing the Lord to lead  you until His desires are yours.  It's a daily giving up of oneself so He may be glorified.  

This is the beginning of holiness.  This is what sets us apart.  We don't live life apart from Him.  We don't behave as an unbeliever.  Our motives, reactions and behavior has to reflect holy living, which are birthed out of true surrender to Christ.  

It is my prayer that you choose to surrender all to Christ.  Where are you on your journey?  Feel fee to comment below.

                      

This is Day 23 of a 31 day series of “Hope Against Hope”. To read all of the posts in this series, click here. To read what several other bloggers are writing for the month of October, click here

Holy Surrender Part I (Day 22 - Hope Against Hope)

The very definition of holiness is to be pure, set apart and virtuous.  It is to be godly, having moral excellence.

This is how we as Christians are supposed to live as we model our lives after our great example, Jesus.  We are charged to live holy as He is holy. 

The greatest act of holiness Jesus did was to surrender His will to die on our behalf.  Jesus was in such agony over this that as He prayed and pleaded to God to see if there was another possible way, He began to sweat blood.  Imagine with me how anxious and tormented  Jesus must have felt!  Yet He surrendered. 

You and I may have experienced levels of pain that if it was possible we didn't have to experience, we would bypass without question.

We want to live comfortably.  We don't want to have bad days, let alone gloomy seasons. 

But what if your experience, my experience is to make us holy?  What if it compels us to fall on our faces in surrender to God?  What if surrendering is holy?

I will continue this post and discuss how to surrender.  Why should we?

I'm so thankful you are taking this journey  with me.  Feel free to comment below.

P.S. I am on vacation with my husband.  I do want to respect our time together so my posts may be a little shorter.  Thank you for understanding.

                      

This is Day 22 of a 31 day series of “Hope Against Hope”. To read all of the posts in this series, click here. To read what several other bloggers are writing for the month of October, click here

Let Your Walls Down and Surrender (Day 21 - Hope Against Hope)

Surrender is frowned upon and viewed as such an ancient, irrelevant word by society today.  No one wants to give up or sacrifice much of anything nowadays, let alone themselves.

Surrender requires something of us.  It requires us to give up our own instincts, desires and reasonings. Surrender is the act of submitting ourselves to the power of the One who has all power.

Yes, we will definitely have questions.  Some of my memorable times with God are also some of the most intense, gut-wrenching heart to heart conversations I've had with Him.  That alone, however is not what stands out to me.  It is after I have emptied myself and begin to get quiet in His presence, how He begins to fill me with such peace.  How He reminds me so lovingly how much He loves me. How much He yearns for this type of communion where I can be open and honest, yet allowing Him to have the final say.

We are human.  We are going to feel.  We are going to hurt.  But it can't stop there.

This is not the end of our story.  Through what we are experiencing, He wants to reveal to us so much more.  

I love the quote "God is a complete gentleman, He will never force Himself on you."  I've found this to be very true.  He will not overstep boundaries we have put in place.  In the midst of our pain, we have to let our walls down.  In the midst of our brokenness, we must allow Him to break through the walls of despair. Of hopelessness.  He is waiting for us to acknowledge Him, to seek Him for direction, to surrender to His will.

He meets us here.  We don't have to clean ourselves up to meet Him.  With tears streaming down our faces...we let go.  We become still.  And you know He is there.  Waiting.  Willing.  To carry us.  To purge us of everything that is not like Him.

Our flesh hates this and would rather remain in self-pity and misery.  Pain can easily become our companion if we are not careful.  It can become our comfort.  But there is beauty on the other side of heartache.  There is laughter after the tears.  There is a breakthrough after you've reached your breaking point.  

But first, we must let our walls down and surrender.  Surrender our questions, our fears, our doubts, our inadequacies to a God who can handle it all.

We can really wallow in our pain, can't we?  Does the thought of surrender cause you to cringe? What is most difficult for you to surrender?  I'd love to hear from you.  Comment below.

This is Day 21 of a 31 day series of “Hope Against Hope”. To read all of the posts in this series, click here. To read what several other bloggers are writing for the month of October, click here

The Eternal Purpose of Hope (Day 20 - Hope Against Hope)

I read this quote earlier today and it got me to thinking about my blog post yesterday.  I believe in authenticity and living life out loud.  Sometimes it's risky to be truthful, but it is so helpful.  Not only for the person sharing truth, but for those on the receiving end.  When you pour out your story to others, the focus isn't on you.  Your focus becomes encouragement and transparency.  You are building others while dying to yourself.

I shared in yesterday's post how in the last eight years after the death of my daughter, Reese Madison I had lost hope.  I didn't understand why my baby girl had to die.  I begin to question God.  I begin to question His will for our lives.  We have always seen ourselves as parents and having a family of our own.

My husband and I aren't perfect by any means, but we strive to honor God and be faithful to Him. Although, I still don't have complete answers, I do know God is still faithful.  He has a purpose for everything and ultimately intends for every situation to work for our good, to our benefit.

This series on "Hope Against Hope" may make some uneasy or question why continue hoping in a God who allows bad things to happen.  I too didn't fully understand this.  However, I have come to realize hope is not contingent on the outcome or being able to manipulate things to go your way.

I still very much believe God is able to bless my husband and I with another child, but will hope be lost if He doesn't?  Hope is in God's plan for you, even if it is not your plan.  Hope is in Him, the One who loves us far more than we can ever imagine.  Hope is in His eternal purpose, to make us more like Him.

Jesus is our example in all things.  And He himself suffered.  We become like Him through suffering.

It is in our nature to want to live comfortably, to get everything our heart's desire, to feel as if we are somehow entitled because we are children of God.  The gospel is clear of the suffering Jesus endured for us, but yet we think we are exempt.

I didn't want anyone to read my post yesterday and think I am naive or not in touch with my own reality.  I am in touch with all I have experienced and so is He.  He doesn't enjoy us suffering.  In fact, I believe He weeps along with us, but He rejoices over the good it will do in us.

If you have suffered through anything, you can probably honestly say you are not the same person you once were.  It has changed you.  Forever.

Let's continue to press on through this process.  Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become restless and disturbed within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence. ~ Psalms 42:5

I'd love to hear from you!

This is Day 20 of a 31 day series of “Hope Against Hope”. To read all of the posts in this series, click here. To read what several other bloggers are writing for the month of October, click here