There is much that has been on my heart the
past few weeks as I have thought and prayed about my own spiritual life
and have been examining different aspects of it, realizing ever more
that I am not where I should be. I was seeing how I had become
complacent in some areas, and how various things in my life that I was
struggling with, while seemingly unrelated, stemmed from a similar root:
self-focus. Self truly is an enemy to be continually fought and
defended against! I find that it likes to rear its ugly head when the
busyness of life creeps in or when I am tired or am struggling with my
emotions.
The struggle to
overcome it when tried in one’s own strength is wearisome and unfruitful
at best. (speaking from experience here. :) Yet resting in Christ’s
lovingkindess and in His strength and love brings such a change! Simply
changing my focus from self and earthly things to my dear Savior,
showers down the peace and the joy that were lacking. Through a heart
and mind “set on things above” one’s outlook is so different!
When looking at things through a heart of surrender to Christ with the
desire to serve Him as opposed to a heart of self, how different is
one’s love and service to others!
It
is amazing how swiftly the change to resting in Christ can take place –
yet it is through an effort . . . and a continual, conscious, and
persevering effort. That seems a little contradictory doesn’t it? Effort
and rest at the same time? But the two seem to go hand in hand. As we
put forth the spiritual effort and make the choice to surrender
ourselves and to rest in Christ, then He can fill our hearts with
Himself and His rest . . . the Holy Spirit and the “impulse of His love”
will be what moves our hearts, our hands, our feet, our words.
As
I read in my Bible yesterday morning, so much was speaking to my heart.
Yet one particular passage especially so as it held in it the beautiful
example of the Lord Jesus. It is speaking of when Christ will return
and when He has “put all His enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25.) And then it goes on to say . . .
“When
all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be
subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be
all in all.” 1 Corinthians 15:28
Christ
Himself, the Son of God, the Savior, Redeemer, the Lamb, the One who is
holy and true, the Perfect One, the Alpha and Omega . . . subjecting
Himself to the Father.
What an example . . . what a humbling example our Savior is to us. Can we do any less than to surrender our poor, sinful (yet redeemed!), weak beings to Him?
Sweet surrender . . . it is indeed that. Not always easy, but the fruit reaped is without a doubt, very sweet.
-Posted by Sarah
Sarah & Leah,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your sweet blog for the encouragement of Christian young ladies. I heartily agree, that amazing peace and rest is found in total surrender to Jesus Christ. He has been teaching me in this area, especially by committing my worries and lack of surrender to the Lord on an hourly basis, that he "peace of God which surpasses all understanding" will fill my heart and keep my mind on Christ. It is a battle but He is Worthy!!! Rev 7:12 How incredibly humbling it is to my heart to think that HE, the King of Glory, submitted to such depths on the Cross and took our curse. We are redeemed! May we live in that joy!
His blessings to you both as you look to HIM alone each day.
Thank you, Sarah Lee, for your encouraging comment! We were so glad to hear that what has been shared here was a blessing to you. And likewise, your comment was a great encouragement to us! Thank you for sharing all that you did . . . we, too, have found that surrender is something that is an hourly and moment by moment thing. And as we do surrender, like you shared, His peace “which surpasses all understanding” fills our hearts and minds. What a beautiful truth! And again as you shared, what joy comes when we remember all that He has done for us and that we are His redeemed children . . . remembering that makes the surrender so much easier!
ReplyDeleteThank you again, and may the Lord bless and guide you as you seek to walk in His ways!