Category: Devotions

So far I have had two dreams that I can clearly see as dreams instructing me to surrender. One was probably three years ago with God as a gentle lion and one from last year that revealed the platform He has given me will expand no matter how much I tried to force it back small. Once I stopped fighting its expansion, I was able to move on. What’s key to point out is that afterwards, I was peaceful and walking with ease, just allowing things to happen.

I realized after putting some pieces together that the concept of surrender is far greater than I had previously conceived it to be. Once you stop fighting the feelings and surrender to them, they can no longer control you. Once you stop trying to force your way and follow God, things fall into place peacefully…you will get those things that God intends for you. Once you accept things and people as they are, you are freed. Control is a false mental construct that makes us believe our input or hands on/in a situation can alter its outcome. While we can often alter an outcome, it’s usually never better than if we would allow God to lead the way. How do I know? I’ve made many the mess of a situation only to turn back to God. I ran from His instructions and eventually returned back to Him to do what He said in the first place. When I didn’t have the strength to do things, He gave it to me.

Surrender is often multi-faceted because we can only surrender those things we are aware of. If you don’t know a certain thing controls you, how can you surrender it to God for deliverance from it? Healing? Progression? The key is in allowing God to show you everything about yourself. It is often very difficult to do, but there is freedom in it. There is beauty in that transparency. It helps you to live authentically and without reservations.

Surrender isn’t just praying about a thing one time. Sometimes it’s taking it back to God repeatedly until it no longer consumes you and you have peace knowing that it will work out how God wants it to. You keep taking this issue back to God in prayer until you no longer have the need to exercise control over or force it to be fixed by your hands or in your timing. Or you can get fed up and release it once and for all. I’ve experienced both sides of the coin. Ultimately, it’s relaxing into a place of peace regardless of the outcome. Either way, if it is a one time thing or you have to continually "wash yours hands of the situation", its the complete release of a thing to God for Him to handle and resolve on your behalf.

Get to your point of surrender and trust God to work it out better than you ever could. Life is sweeter on the other side of surrender!

*I wrote this during the first full week of February…my how quickly things change! This all happened within the course of one week.*

After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, “Abraham!” “Yes?” answered Abraham. “I’m listening.” He said, “Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I’ll point out to you.” (‭Genesis‬ ‭22‬:‭1-2‬ MSG)After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, “Abraham!” “Yes?” answered Abraham. “I’m listening.” He said, “Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I’ll point out to you.”

They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son.

Just then an angel of GOD called to him out of Heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes, I’m listening.” “Don’t lay a hand on that boy! Don’t touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn’t hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the altar for me.” Abraham looked up. He saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. Abraham named that place GOD -Yireh ( GOD -Sees-to-It). That’s where we get the saying, “On the mountain of GOD, he sees to it.” The angel of GOD spoke from Heaven a second time to Abraham: “I swear— GOD ’s sure word!—because you have gone through with this, and have not refused to give me your son, your dear, dear son, I’ll bless you—oh, how I’ll bless you! And I’ll make sure that your children flourish—like stars in the sky! like sand on the beaches! And your descendants will defeat their enemies. All nations on Earth will find themselves blessed through your descendants because you obeyed me.” (‭Genesis‬ ‭22‬:‭1-2, 9-18‬ MSG)

I don’t think my telling this in words via a video could do this justice. So here goes.

Last year before I left New Orleans, I kept hearing ‘a ram in the bush.’ I thought at the time it pertained to several different things, but the last of those was the church I would attend in moving back to Charleston to begin ministerial preparations. I had already gotten the affirmation of my calling through a complete stranger on one of my YouTube videos from which I cried. God was speaking so clearly to me.

I have since realized in being back home God meant something else. In climbing my own Mount Moriah, I have had to bring a great many things with me: the desire of marriage and my own family, returning to my job with the navy, moving back to Atlanta, getting out of debt, having my own place…so many things. Over the last 8 months, God has stripped me and built me up in many ways, strengthening and deepening my love for Him through it all. I don’t have it all together, but I know it will all work out. So that brings me to my latest fork in the road.

I sent an email to close friends and family alike to pray for me as I have had a word of ‘Move’ in my belly for quite some time. It seems as soon as I surrendered the marriage burden and let go of some things, God began putting bait in front of me to focus my eyes on Him. It was very appealing and I had settled it in my heart and mind that I would move in whichever direction or location He said to. Since that time, I have had several job interviews, some favorable, some not but in the process God taught me my worth. It also taught me to speak up for myself instead of just asking for the bare minimum. But God wasn’t done (and thank God He isn’t done yet!)

You see I began the My One Word challenge in January where my word is live. I also read a few books, the Wild Goose Chase, the Best Yes and My One Word, that have all helped to point out things about me that needed to be changed so I can move in the right direction. I needed to make decisions for me, I needed to stop being afraid of failing or making the wrong decisions, I needed to stop being indecisive and letting things, people and situations decide for me. I needed to release guilt from making my own choices. I needed to live.

In this process I’ve learned tons. In beginning the next books on my list, Crazy Love, which was inspired by the reading plan of the same name I completed, I realized today that I have been living so narrow minded…focusing in with a narrow lens that these things are about me…when they are all a part of the bigger plan of manifesting God’s will through me. So it brings me to my point.

Yesterday I had a reading from my other challenge, Love Does by Bob Goff, where we have to pray that God reveals Himself or His kingdom operating in an unorthodox place. The reading suggested your city’s red light district or your job, so I asked Him to do it at my job. I have already submitted all the paperwork for moving and starting my new job. Then in an instant, God showed me how He has been working for me here at my current job, how I have grown in leaps and bounds, how I have learned so much and matured just in working here. All because I was willing to do whatever He said. I left New Orleans and came back here when He said move, and then after this, I was willing to go again.

I felt like Abraham much the last few years…that strange willingness to leave and go to the place He would show me. In every situation I’ve faced, He has shown me where He wants me to be.

The greatest lesson I’ve learned through Abraham and all of these experiences is to merely be willing. Go on the journey. Take the step. Trust God’s leading, and when the path turns, keep walking. Because most of all, through it all, the path is for you and you alone, so it will all work out better than you could ever plan yourself. God only seeks a willing person to be willing to do His will…to be willing to trust Him to manifest His plans and glory in and over your life. Trust that He will do it and consider it done!

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28