Nowhere Else to Go

No Where Else to Go

“Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.’”  (John 6:68-69, NASB95)

Before I married, people told me what life might be like married to a coach.  The joys of winning.  The sadness of losing.  The many hours spent apart due the demands of the job.  The feeling that I was raising our children, alone.  Without living out those experiences, I could only imagine—mentally picture—what people had been telling me.  But the time came when I said, “Oh, that’s what they were talking about.”

Throughout my Christian life I have read and heard about “surrender.”  Always trying to understand what that meant, but not quite getting it, I would finally say, “Lord, I give up.”  I can't do this.  But this was only part of my journey to understanding.  It was extremely helpful to hear others talk about it, and to read about surrender.  Yet to truly understand, I had to experience it for myself.

I learned much about surrender from AA.  Many give their day to the Lord before getting out of bed.  Many begin their day on their knees, in prayer. 

Jesus taught us to pray:

                                 “Our Father, who art in heaven. 

                                             Hallowed be thy name. 

                                             THY KINGDOM COME

                                             THY WILL BE DONE....”

To me, that is surrender.  But you will have to experience it for yourself.  Perhaps again and again.  It is not some state of being sinless.  You will still struggle.  It is brokenness.  It is coming to the point where you admit that what you have chosen is not working.

I used to run everywhere but to God when someone hurt me, or rejected me, or I was worried about something.  I didn't realize that was what I was doing.  I presumed God wanted what I wanted.  I would wrestle and fight.  I wanted my way, not His.  I felt that I knew best.  I just wanted to be pain free.  I didn’t want to have to let go of the things I was clinging to.  My reputation.  My righteousness.  My pride.

Surrender may not bring immediate happiness.  Surrender involves repentance.  Tears may be streaming down.  Surrender may not change the pain you or your loved ones are feeling, or the difficulties you are facing.  Some even refer to surrender as dying.  Martin Luther said we are caterpillars in a ring of fire.  The only deliverance is from above.  We can't do surrender on our own.  Repentance is a God-thing.

It’s when you finally see that your way has failed, and you realize you have no choice but to trust God’s way.  Maybe you won’t hold on to having your way as long as I did.  Pray to be broken.  Ask God to help you trust Him, and teach you to receive His love.  That means that you first let go of your way, and then accept His way. 

There is no better plan for you than God’s plan.  No better place for you than in His arms of warm embrace, trusting His love for you, and His perfect plan for your life.  Surrender is the only place of true rest. 

One of the things that used to scare me to death was letting go of my control.  Now it is the very thing that gives me peace.  Turning all that I am and have over to Him.

Lord, I give you my day and everything and everyone in it.  I may have to do this several times today because I am in some hard stuff.  You have proven your faithfulness to me.  I worship and praise you.  For you hold my life in the palm of your hand.  Not my will, Lord, but your will be done.

Deborah