Surrender

September 10th – Colossians 3:13

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Colossians 3:13

Forgiveness isn’t always easy, especially when someone has hurt us deeply. But as followers of Jesus, we are called to practice patience, grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Not because people deserve it, but because we have received these very things from Jesus.

Patience means giving others room to grow instead of expecting perfection. Grace means giving kindness when someone hasn’t earned it. Mercy means choosing compassion instead of giving someone what we think they deserve. And forgiveness means releasing the debt of the offense into God’s hands rather than continuing to carry it ourselves.

None of this means pretending the hurt didn’t happen or allowing someone to keep hurting us. Forgiveness doesn’t erase boundaries or make wrong things right. It simply means we refuse to let someone else’s actions fill our hearts with bitterness.

Think about how patient God has been with us. How many times has He forgiven us? How often have we fallen short and yet found His mercy waiting for us? We may not be able to change what someone did, but through Christ, we can choose what we do with the hurt. Let’s be quick to forgive, slow to anger, generous with grace, rich in mercy, and willing to give others the same patience God continually gives us.

September 10th – Colossians 3:13 Read More »

September 8th – 2 Corinthians 5:15

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2 Corinthians 5:15

Jesus didn’t give His life for us so that we could continue living for ourselves. He gave everything so that our lives could become His. Letting go and letting God means surrendering the need to always have things our way. It means releasing our plans, desires, control, and the parts of ourselves we would rather hold onto. And as we let go, we make room for God to live through us.

We don’t want Jesus to simply be a part of our lives. We want Him to be the center of our lives. We want His love to be seen in the way we treat people, His compassion to be felt through us, His truth to shape our words, and His goodness to be reflected in the way we live.

Every day we wake up is another opportunity to say, “Lord, this day belongs to You. Use me.” Help me do what You have called me to do. Help me obey when it’s difficult, love when it’s inconvenient, forgive when it hurts, serve when no one notices, and stand firm when the world tells me to compromise.

We don’t know how many days God has given us, but we know what we want to do with the days we have left. We want to live for Jesus. We want to grow in Him, become more like Him, and to keep saying yes to Him until the day He calls us home.

September 8th – 2 Corinthians 5:15 Read More »

September 6th – John 14:15

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John 14:15

We often talk about loving Jesus, and we absolutely should, but Jesus reminds us that genuine love for Him will show itself in the way we live. Sometimes we want to grow closer to God while still holding tightly to the things He is asking us to release. We want His peace, but we don’t want to let go of control. We want His freedom, but we don’t want to let go of the habits that keep us bound. And we want to become more like Christ, but we don’t always want to surrender our own way.

But we can’t fully grow while constantly choosing our own path. Letting go is part of growing. When we let go of our need to control every outcome. When we let go of the sins we’ve become comfortable with. And when we let go of bitterness, pride, fear, and selfishness, we make room for God to grow something new in us.

But obedience isn’t always easy. Sometimes God’s way will ask us to forgive when we’d rather hold onto the hurt. To remain silent when we’d rather have the last word. To trust when we want answers. And to say no to ourselves so we can say yes to Him. And every time  we give up our way and choose God’s, something happens inside of us. We grow.

Surrender isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s an act of love. And sometimes the very thing we’re afraid to release is the very thing keeping us from becoming who God is calling us to be. So if we truly love Jesus, let that love be more than words. Let it change our choices, shape our hearts, and lead us into obedience.

September 6th – John 14:15 Read More »

September 4th – Psalm 37:5

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Psalm 37:5

What does it really mean to commit our way to the Lord? It means more than just asking God to bless us in all that we do. It means placing our plans, dreams, decisions, relationships, and even our future into His hands and saying, “Lord, I trust You with all of it.”

Sometimes we want God to show us exactly where we’re going before we’re willing to take the next step. But commitment means trusting Him even when we can’t see the whole road ahead. It means surrendering our desire to control the outcome and believing that His wisdom is greater than ours.

Why should we commit our way to Him? Because God sees what we can’t. He knows where every road leads, knows what is best for us, and is never surprised by what lies ahead. When we place our lives in His hands, we don’t have to carry the burden of figuring everything out on our own.

And committing ourselves to God doesn’t mean life will always go the way we want. It means that whatever comes, we don’t face it alone. We have entrusted our lives to the One who is faithful, loving, and completely trustworthy.

So today, let’s stop trying to hold everything together ourselves. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust Him completely. Then watch what He can do with a life fully surrendered to Him.

September 4th – Psalm 37:5 Read More »

September 1st – Hebrews 12:1

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Hebrews 12:1

You’d never see someone who’s trying to win a foot race purposely strap on heavy ankle weights. Because they know those weights will slow them down and make the race harder than it needs to be. Yet sometimes as Christians, that’s exactly what we do.

When running our race we strap on the weight of fear, worry, bitterness, unforgiveness, guilt, past hurts, and even relationships or habits. Things that slow us down and keep us from becoming who God has called us to be.

Our faith journey isn’t a 50-yard dash. It’s a life long marathon. And God wants us to go the distance, finishing strong. But we can’t run freely if we’re determined to carry everything along with us. Some things have to be laid down. Other things have to be surrendered. And still others have to be released into God’s hands.

We don’t have to run someone else’s race, and we don’t have to finish it perfectly. We simply need to keep our eyes on Jesus, keep moving forward, and refuse to give up. So today ask yourself, “What am I carrying that God is asking me to lay down?” Maybe it’s time to take off the weights and run freely toward Him.

September 1st – Hebrews 12:1 Read More »

August 26th – James 4:8

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James 4:8

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” What an incredible invitation, and an incredible privilege. Think about it. The One who spoke the heavens into existence, invites us to come near to Him. We don’t have to try earn His attention or somehow become worthy enough to approach Him. Through Jesus, we can have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father and come into His presence with open hearts.

But what does it mean to draw near to God? It means intentionally making room for Him in our lives. We draw near when we open His Word and allow His truth to shape our hearts. We draw near through talking with Him, listening, and sharing the deepest places of our hearts. And we draw near when we worship Him, surrender our worries, confess our sins, and choose obedience even when it’s difficult. Because drawing near to God isn’t about checking off a religious list. It’s about wanting to know Him more deeply.

And here’s the beautiful part. When we take even one step toward God, He meets us there. The Ruler and Creator of all things draws near to us. So slow down today. Put away the distractions. Open your Bible. Whisper a prayer. Sit quietly in His presence. Seek Him with your whole heart. Because there is nowhere else we can go where we will find a love so faithful, and a Father so eager to draw near to His children.

August 26th – James 4:8 Read More »

August 24th – Ephesians 4:1

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Ephesians 4:1

The pull of this world is strong. Every day, we’re surrounded by voices telling us how to think, what to value, and how to live. It’s easy to get caught up in the ways of the world without even realizing how far we’ve drifted from God.

But Paul gives us an example worth following. He could have continued living for himself, and persecuting the very people who followed Jesus. Instead, he encountered Christ. And everything changed. Paul chose Jesus, no matter the cost.

And the cost was great. He was beaten, imprisoned, rejected, persecuted, and ultimately gave his life for the Gospel. Yet Paul didn’t see following Jesus as a burden. He considered it a privilege to live a life worthy of the calling he had received. Why? Because he knew this life was temporary, but eternity with Christ was forever.

We need that same perspective today. The world may pull us in a thousand different directions, but our calling is higher. We were not saved to simply blend into the culture around us. We were saved to belong to Jesus and reflect Him in the way we live.

Living worthy of our calling doesn’t mean living perfectly. It means living intentionally. Choosing Christ when the world says choose yourself, choosing truth when the world embraces lies, and choosing holiness when the world celebrates compromise.

So let Paul’s life challenge us. What are we willing to surrender to follow Jesus? May we count it a privilege to live for Him no matter the cost. Because we know that whatever we give up here will never compare to what awaits us in His presence.

August 24th – Ephesians 4:1 Read More »

August 19th – 1 Peter 5:8

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1 Peter 5:8

We live in a world where the Enemy is constantly looking for opportunities to discourage us, divide us, and damage our relationship both with God and with one another. He knows our weaknesses, and he will use whatever he can to stir up fear, temptation, doubt, and bitterness.

But we don’t have to live in fear of his schemes. We have been warned to stay alert, remain sober-minded, and stand firm in our faith. The Enemy may be persistent, but he isn’t victorious.

Jesus has already overcome this world. Satan may try to shake us, but he can’t take us out of the hands of our Savior. When temptation comes, we can run to Jesus. When discouragement comes, we can cling to His promises. And when the Enemy whispers lies, we can answer with the truth of God’s Word.

Sometimes the Enemy doesn’t attack us through obvious temptation. Sometimes he uses hurt feelings, misunderstandings, broken relationships, and offenses to create division between God’s children. He would love nothing more than to see us turn against one another. To hold onto bitterness, and lose sight of the love we are called to show. So let us be careful about what we allow to take root in our hearts and quick to surrender those hurts to Jesus.

Stay close to Jesus. Guard your heart. Stay rooted in Scripture and prayer, and don’t allow the Enemy to convince you that you’re fighting alone. The battle may be real, but so is our victory in Christ.

August 19th – 1 Peter 5:8 Read More »

August 10th – 2 Peter 3:18

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2 Peter 3:18

Growing in Christ means that our relationship with Jesus isn’t meant to stay where it began. Just as a child grows into maturity, we are called to grow spiritually. To know Jesus more deeply, understand His Word more clearly, and become more like Him with each passing day.

We grow in grace when we learn to extend to others the same mercy, patience, forgiveness, and kindness that God has shown us. We grow in knowledge when we spend time in His Word, pray, ask questions, and allow the Holy Spirit to teach us. And as we grow, our faith becomes more than something we simply believe. It becomes something we live.

Why does this matter? Because the more we know Jesus, the more we recognize His voice, trust His heart, and understand His ways. We become better equipped to recognize what is true in a world filled with confusion and deception. We become stronger when trials come and more prepared to stand firm in our faith.

And perhaps most importantly, spiritual growth changes the way we live. The closer we get to Jesus, the more His character should begin to show in us. Our words become kinder, our hearts more compassionate, our choices more obedient, and our lives more reflective of the Savior we love.

We are all works in progress, and that’s okay. God isn’t asking us to be perfect today. He’s inviting us to keep growing. So don’t become discouraged by how far you still have to go. Look at how far God has already brought you, and keep moving forward. Keep opening His Word. Keep seeking Him, surrendering your heart, and keep growing in grace and knowledge.

August 10th – 2 Peter 3:18 Read More »

July 13th – Psalm 46:10

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Psalm 46:10

“Be still” sounds so simple, but I’ve learned it can be one of the hardest things God asks us to do. My natural instinct is to fix the problem, find the answer, or move ahead instead of waiting. Patience doesn’t come easily to me, and if I’m honest, I often want God to work on my timetable instead of His.

But being still doesn’t mean doing nothing. It means quieting my anxious heart, laying down my need to be in control, and trusting that God is already at work; even when I can’t see it. It means choosing faith over fear, peace over panic, and surrender over striving.

I’ve discovered that God often does His greatest work in the waiting. While I’m asking Him to change my circumstances, He is changing my heart. He is teaching me to trust Him more deeply, depend on Him more fully, and remember that His timing is always perfect.

Being still isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s an act of faith. It’s saying, “Lord, I don’t understand what You’re doing, but I know You do.” And that’s enough. Because the God who calls us to be still is the same God who has never failed, never abandoned His children, and never stopped working for our good.

July 13th – Psalm 46:10 Read More »