“Put ‘em up!” My cousin pointed the toy gun, and immediately, my hands were in the air in protested surrender. We were playing cops and robbers, and I had drawn the short stick to my older cousin’s cop. Now, I surrendered.
Around the same time, I remember a special worship teaching from my Children’s Pastor on the purpose of raising our hands in worship. In one posture, we raise our hands with palms up, ready to receive all our Father has to give us. In another, we raise our hands to the King who is worthy of our worship, palms out, being emptied of all distractions and all we need to surrender to Him. Contrary to my response to my cousin’s command, both postures are acts of our will and are appropriate as we enter our Father’s throne room through worship.
For a long time, surrender seemed like such a dirty word to me. It felt oppressive, and like I was giving up a part of myself in this act of submission. When we think of surrender, we often think of raising the white flag and of defeat. I didn’t want to give up who I was or lose control, so the trenches were dug and the walls were fortified. In many ways, I surrendered just enough to be His child, but not enough to find the lasting peace that is only found in true surrender. Over time, I found healing as those walls were chipped away, and as I learned to trust God’s character and Father heart toward me. In response, I am now cultivating this beautiful relationship with Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit. Yes, there is peace in surrender, when we surrender to the One who knows us better than we know ourselves. There is safety in surrender when we run to the Father and say, “I can’t do this on my own.”
While Oxford Languages defines surrender as a verb that means to “cease resistance to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority,” I believe that definition applies mainly to our first act of surrender at salvation, when our flesh is in direct opposition to our Heavenly Father’s will and design for our lives. That really is one of the only times He is our “enemy”… when we want our way more than we want to do His will. As we mature as believers and continue to surrender, a better definition would be visualized by yielding…by “relinquishing possession…” and handing over to God with open hands and an open heart… our striving, our pride, our fears, and our control. When we unburden ourselves and come to God, He gives us peace. After all, Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…” (Matthew 11:28 NIV)
So what do you need to surrender today? What do you need to let go of, trusting that He will have you, and you will be safe in the surrender?
