What is Surrender?
In action, ‘surrender’ in the Christian faith is an acceptance of our INHERENT NEED for help; our NEED to be absolutely dependent on God because we are broken, fallible, and selfish creatures with no real understanding of what love is.
To understand ‘surrender’ better, the contrary would be self-salvation.
This leads to a host of words defining an independent, individualistic, self-oriented mindset with the following list of terms, encompassing this train of thought.
– Self-preservation
– Self-blessedness
– Self-adulation
– Self-appreciation
– Self-provision
– Self-admiration
– Self-esteem
– Self-confidence
I’m aware that a plethora of these terms are considered positives, but the Christian faith teaches us that God can provide in every single one of these areas. Our job is to pay it forward, uplifting others rather than exalting ourselves.
Perhaps a more commonly used word which takes all of the aforementioned terms into account is: survival.
Survival–when defined–is about: “continuing to live or exist despite the circumstances.”
Unfortunately, when this definition is transplanted onto our human action, it will include disregarding other people’s thoughts and emotions in order to see our preservation.
The survival instinct will easily justify pursuing whatever behaviour is necessary to progress, foregoing anything and anyone in the process.
Survival is the ultimate form of ‘justifiable selfishness’ with one goal – to rescue and preserve self.
Going deeper with the concept of surrender
Surrender has negative connotations because it’s associated with submission, admission of weakness, being overpowered, losing control, defeat, and even more unpleasant to our ears, ‘slavery.’
God says that when we surrender to Him, we choose to become, ‘slaves of righteousness’ (Romans 6:19) as opposed to ‘slaves of sin.’
What we often don’t realise, is that we’re all slaves to something.
Being a slave simply means we give everything of our mind, body, and spirit to something or someone.
When we do this with God, it means nothing is held back.
Our relationships, friendships, finances, career, and time become subject to God’s ways in surrender.
There’s no compartmentalisation, separating God and the tangible world. Everything is integrated and founded on Him alone.
In considering the Christian lifestyle, perhaps a more pleasant way of defining surrender is wording it as ‘devotion to God,’ meaning foregoing our own wants.
Surrendered, we don’t cherry-pick the Bible for the actions that suit our worldview.
Instead, we submit everything to God by faith. His grace grants us the strength to follow through with His guidance in loving obedience.
Example:
When God commands us to go out there and spread the Gospel via speaking it, He means exactly this.
A Bible cherry-picker might say, “it’s okay to let your actions show others the faith rather than speaking.”
This ‘selective reading’ of the Bible could rightfully be supported with the verse, “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:18)
While this partial reading is true, we know from other verses throughout Scripture as well as Jesus’ own life example, that we must use our mouths to proclaim the Gospel.
“And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15)
Our deeds can certainly have an impact, but our tongues are extremely powerful, granting both blessings and curses.
Our words can uplift and encourage, or disparage and discourage.
The main thing here is to acknowledge that surrender might mean taking the more intimidating option of speaking up about Jesus, rather than choosing what might be considered easier in letting actions reflect Godliness.
The nature of the challenge is of course dependent on the personality type and what God wants to do to develop that person while helping everyone in the equation.
God may challenge a more introverted person to speak up in order to:
(i) inspire the individual’s courage and confidence,
(ii) as well as pass on an important message to someone else about Jesus, that otherwise would have sounded repugnant from another.
Another Example:
When God says we need to travel abroad to other nations to share the Word, HE means it.
A Bible cherry-picker might say, “it’s okay to conduct mission in your own hometown.”
Again, it’s not about making the Word sound comfortable for our own pleasure.
It’s about surrendering and being led by God to fulfil what He says, conducting both mission in our own hometowns—if called by God to do so—and following the command of God as written to spread the Word to all nations.
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