It Begins with S and it Ends with Letting Go

I've been teaching monthly Women's LIFE Workshops all year. We have only one workshop left this year, in May. The last workshop I'm teaching is called "Successful Women Wave a White flag". So these next couple of weeks, until we get to May 1st, this theme will be on my mind. But few people like to go around with the concept of surrender in the back of their mind. Here's why.

Nobody ever plans on waving a white flag in surrender...if they're winning. That's why we usually equate the word "Surrender" with something negative, with a losing scene, or a losing battle. We think to surrender is to lose.Surrender is not a popular word. But then, again, neither is despair, frustration, confusion and pain- and that's what happens, often, when we are in a situation and God is telling us to yield to His leading, His way of loving, His plan for how to find peace- and we don't want to surrender.

But bask for a moment in that melodious peace that comes when you sing that beautiful hymn- "I Surrender All" and get a glimpse of what God had in mind concerning the word "Surrender". Just the first verse alone gives us a clue as to why and how we can learn to surrender-

All to Jesus, I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live...

Do you see that word "trust" in there? When we really come to know who our living Lord and Savior is, we learn that we can definitely trust Him. We learn that to trust Him is to freely admit His plan and His design for living is the way to go. When we trust Him- and therefore surrender our right to think we know best- we wind up experiencing His incredible, magnificent presence. And in His presence there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11).

I love the way the Message version words this passage from Psalm 16:11:

Now you've got my feet on the life path,
all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
I'm on the right way.

Think of it this way: you raise your hand in surrender, clutching that white flag that symbolizes the end of the battle. God sees your lifted hand and reaches out. He takes the white flag of surrender out of your hand, and in replacement,He puts His own Hand in yours. You surrendered to His love- and He holds your hand firmly, and with the intention of directing you, leading you ... onward.

It's ironic how our intention in surrendering is to let go of control, of what we know "in part", and God's intention is to hold us securely, lead us victoriously, keep us safe eternally. I'd say that's an exchange made in Heaven.