The Art of Surrender

Part A: Let’s Understand True Surrender

Do not be anxious about anything, but with prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6

Anxious - wanting something very much, typically with a feeling of unease

We can want something that God desires for us - which is good - but if we are a swinging pendulum about the topic (ie: feeling like it’s something we need one moment, then feeling like it’s something that’s completely unattainable the next, coupled by feeling it’s something we don’t even deserve) we become anxious.

Any feeling of anxiety should be met with petitioned prayer and thanksgiving.

A prayerful response in prayer should consist of:

Release and surrender - taking it out of our own hands and giving it up to God

Petition - praying constantly until you have truly surrendered and released it. 

When there is true surrender and release, there is peace like a river - so regardless of how intense an area of life can be, there is complete trust that God will deliver us to where He sees best. This leads onto... 

Thanksgiving - know that God has heard and will reply justly 

What better way to anything then to give the Father praise for what he does and will do. Praise God he has the perfect solution to all our problems - even more so, praise Him that He absolutely loves to be in relationship with us, delighting in every detail of our lives. 

Part B: Talking Practically

Let’s get real. I wish I could have this verse down completely practically, but I don’t. Let’s be even more real, if you’re reading this, you’re probably right along side me desiring change for your prayer life in one way or another. 

I know that I’m tired of being the pendulum gone crazy. I can’t count how many times I’ve asked God for a specific thing and said I was going to stand firm with my prayer, when the next moment I:

1. found myself changing my prayer because of a situational circumstance
2. didn’t think that my prayer would be answered, generally speaking
3. thought my prayer was too specific to be answered

The truth is, like I said earlier, that God loves to be in relationship with us. He wants to hear our prayers - all of them, no matter how big or small. He wants us to work things out with him - so if that means we keep going back about the same thing, it’s okay, because it’s so good that we get to go to Him for all our needs. He will root us with truth when our circumstances try to convince us to think otherwise. Let’s just say that Father knows best. 

So with that knowledge, how could we not go to Him and trust Him completely? How could we not surrender so we can focus on our relationship with Him and others? How dare we want control. God is begging us to have a richer (prayer) life through casting out anxiety because He cares for us. 

As for me, I choose to no longer be a swaying pendulum with my prayers. I choose to be rooted in holiness. I choose to trust what the Word of the Lord says. My choices are being spun into action: my difficult prayers are being kept in common eyesight so I will stay encouraged.

Will you join me in having a radical prayer life?

Part C: Musically Speaking

This song couldn’t be any more perfect to complete my post and to compliment my heart.

Anberlin "Breathe"