What Does It Mean To Surrender?

If you hadn’t already heard, Hillsong Live released another stellar live album last week or the week before, I don’t remember, but it’s freakin’ AWESOME! There’s one song in particular (I Surrender) that’s been really working on me. I know, I’m somehow less spiritual because I’m not referencing a verse of Scripture, a red letter verse, and talking about how it gave me new understanding and changed my life…no…I’m talking about a song.

Here are the lyrics that have absolutely blown my mind:

Like a rushing wind, Jesus breathe within
Lord, have Your way. Lord, have Your way in me.
Like a mighty storm, stir within my soul
Lord, have Your way. Lord, have Your way in me.

When I first heard this song I had one of those stop in your tracks kinda moments. It was as if time froze, at least for an instant, and I asked myself…“When was the last time I offered myself up for the Lord to have his way in me?”

Even now, as I sit here writing this, meditating on it, contemplating the implications of that word SURRENDER. I mean, that’s what it is. To offer myself up, my heart, my mind, my body, my EVERYTHING…that’s surrender. I may have moments when I’m overwhelmed by reckless passion, engrossed by God’s presence, when I believe with all my heart that I WANT him to have his way in my life, that I WANT to surrender, but it’s fleeting, it’s here and gone.

How can we fight this?
How can we stay in that place?
How do we give up OUR life and replace it with HIS?

I don’t want a moment, I want FOREVER!

Here are some things, some tasks, some habits, some exercises that I believe will help you, help me, help all of us in our relationship with God.

#1—Get in His word. Set time aside each day to read what he has to say. Psalm 119:105

#2—Get in His face. Do you pray? Do you speak with him? Do you stop to listen? Start a habit of prayer. Colossians 4:2

#3—Get on His path. Have you ever asked him for guidance? Have you ever asked him to actually be the LEADER of your life? This is an EVERY DAY decision, not just a Sunday refresher. Psalm 31:3

#4—Shut your mouth and start moving. Too many times God speaks and we say BUT or start negotiating, like we know a better way. Learn to shut up. Learn to listen. Learn to act on what he says. I’m telling you, it’ll radically change your life for the BETTER! Psalm 128:1