Lay your whole life down and gain everything.

Our Scripture for today is a weighty one. As we reflect on the instructions of Jesus, we see His requirement was to lay everything before Him. We deny ourselves – our desires and dreams – and pick up our cross of daily carrying out our Father’s work. May I be honest? I'm not confident I've done an excellent job of that on a daily basis, especially in my first twenty years of salvation! There are days when I was good at denying my flesh, denying my hopes and dreams and worldly desires, and picking up my daily cross of surrender to the Lord Jesus. Admittedly, there were days when I chased my own dreams and did not bear my cross very well.

As we continue to grow deeper in our faith and trust that the Lord's plans are good, surrender becomes easier. We must surrender our plans to the Lord daily. As we walk in step with the Spirit, we learn to ask the Lord regularly to show, lead, guide, and direct our paths. We understand how to surrender our plans daily because we know the details matter. We ask the Lord where we are to work and how we respond to coworkers. We ask the Lord about our dreams of one day opening a hair salon. We seek His face about ministry opportunities and book endeavors. All plans are laid at His feet.

Further, we surrender control. We do not attempt to tell God how it should be. We ask. We don't ask the Lord and then leave our prayer closets only to pick the burdens back up. We do not worry or fret because we have surrendered and trust. We know that the faithfulness of God has been measured by His past faithfulness to us and others, and we know He can be trusted. We surrender our children, marriages, finances, and futures. We cast our cares upon Him because He cares for us.

Everything in our spiritual life and authority shifts when we know our identity is found in Christ. We have rested in His plans. We relinquish all control and transition to complete surrender at the foot of the Cross.

Points to Ponder:

• What areas of your life do you continue to control? Why do you think you have trouble surrendering certain things, situations, or people to the Lord?