What Does Surrender Mean?
Trusting when it’s hard to see
We often encounter moments that call for surrender—a concept both daunting and liberating. Caleb, Jordan and Josh Ward of Consumed by Fire, recently talked to us about the personal trials they’ve encountered and the feelings of burnout and disappointment they’ve faced.
Caleb references their song, “First Things First,” in talking about what surrender means to him. He says, “There’s a lyric towards the end of the course.”
All my desires reversed
To keep the first thing first
I give it all
My life an offering
“Surrender is maybe I wanted to do this; Maybe I wanted to go do that with my life,” Caleb continues, echoing the internal debates many of us face.
Life has a way of presenting plans vastly different from our own, often laden with challenges we hadn’t anticipated. For Caleb and Jordan, these challenges included burnout and the profound impact of their father’s stroke, pausing everything to face disappointment and uncertainty head-on. Yet, it’s in these moments of vulnerability that surrender takes on a new meaning. “God, if this is what you have for my life, if this is the path, then that’s what I’m going to do,” Caleb shares.
Surrender isn’t about giving up; it’s about giving over – your plans, your disappointments, your all – to Someone greater than yourself.
It’s recognizing that, despite the trials, there’s a plan for your life that might just be more beautiful than anything you could have crafted on your own.
Daily Surrender
“Will you actually, seriously go down that path if it feels like a forever waiting period?” Jordan asks. “Which I mean, Galatians 6:9 is always on the tip of our tongues – Don’t grow weary or tired in the good that you’re doing because in due time, you will reap a harvest, if you don’t give up.”
“Surrender is going, every day I wake up, I’m going to say my five physical senses, ‘You don’t govern my life. The Word of God does,’” Jordan emphasizes.
Our physical senses, often governed by immediate reactions and emotions, can lead us astray. But when we choose to let the Word of God guide our decisions, actions, and thoughts, we’re making a conscious choice to align our paths with His, even when it contradicts our initial desires or societal expectations.
This process of surrender takes action on our part to change our mindsets. Jordan referenced Romans 12:2 which suggests, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (NIV). This renewal is a constant effort to choose God’s way over our own. It’s about reminding ourselves that our true identity and purpose are found in Him, not in the fleeting desires or ambitions we may have.
The renewal is a journey. And on this journey, we might stumble, face disappointments, or even feel like giving up. But it’s here, in the struggles, that the beauty of surrender shines brightest. By surrendering our plans and trusting in God’s timing, we open ourselves up to a life that, while challenging, is infinitely more rewarding and aligned with His divine purpose.
Every act of surrender is a step closer to the person God is shaping you to be.
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