Monday Minute with God: What I’m Learning by Muriel Gregory

The last conversation I had with my husband was running through my mind. The 8-hour drive in front of me allowed me to process and talk to God. Mainly I was telling God how unjust the situation was and how unfair and insensitive my husband was.

I had all my evidence lined up.

I knew God would side with me.

Not so.

Instead, God was telling me to surrender.

• Surrender the right to be right.
• Surrender the outcome I had envisioned in my mind.
• Surrender the right to be angry.
• Surrender my emotions and simply trust Him.

To say that my obedience was swift and joyful would be a lie.

Surrender. According to Dictionary.com it means “to yield (something) to the possession or power of another.”

Surrender is an ALL IN act of faith.

Surrender is counter to what culture tells us to do. We are told to win at all cost. We strive to finish on top. In the military life, we train to win the battle.

 

The surrendering process started many years ago when I learned to let go of my fears for my husband’s safety. When he was deployed to a war zone, I was consumed with fear. God helped me to let go of fear and to trust Him with my husband.  Prayers for peace of mind and strength replaced prayers of bringing my soldier home safe.

 

As a mom, I also learned to surrender my children. You see children grow up and become adults. I didn’t want to let them go; it was a hard surrender. Understanding my children are His, I released them back to Him.

 

Last year was my toughest lesson on surrender. There are moments that hit like a curve ball out of nowhere. They sucker punch you and leave you breathless. Broken. Hopeless. Angry. Depressed. Lonely.

 

Reading the Psalms, I cried out like David:

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I take counsel in my soul

and have sorrow in my heart all the day?

How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Psalm 13:1-2

 

Surely God was on my side and saw the injustice I was plagued with.

He did. He always sees, always knows. Yet His answer was not what I expected. He asked me to trust Him and let go my feelings–to yield my rights to feel angry, depressed, lonely, justified.

 

What I’m Learning

2 Corinthians 10:5 became my lifeline:

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

 

Obedience took courage as I brought my thoughts and emotions to Christ. Surrendering my rights, I realized that pride was at the root of my emotions.

“You don’t deserve to be treated like this,” was the thought that held me captive.  God reminded me that Jesus did not deserve to die on the cross and because of that I do not receive what I deserve.

Broken. I was broken. God was breaking me and I did not know why.

Do you remember the woman at the well? You can read the whole encounter in John 4. She was a Samaritan woman, an outsider, a sinner, which is why she comes to the well in the middle of the day. Her need was basic and physical: water.

 

Jesus sees her and he knows.

 

Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

The woman asked for what she wanted, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” John 4:13-15

The Samaritan woman came to the well thinking she needed water. This encounter with the Messiah revealed to her what she really needed.

So the woman left her water jar and went away.… John 4:28

 

She left her water jar.

Total surrender.

Complete trust.

 

God brought me to this place of complete surrender for me to realize that He is more than enough. Even in hard situations, I can release my rights, trusting Him to provide what I really need.

 

How I’m Learning

Reading through the Psalms daily brought comfort and a healthy perspective on hardship.

Recognize emotions motivated by false hope, unrealistic expectations, and negative thoughts. Emotions are meant to be felt. Like a wave, let them roll over you and let them go away.

 

Think About It

I learned to let go of my right to be right and feel a certain way about the situation. God knows better what the outcome needs to be. When I humbly come to Him with what I think I need (want?), He gives me what I truly seek.

God is more than enough.

When people fail, trust God.

Are you facing a tough situation right now?

What is God teaching you?

What is He asking you to surrender?

 

All In: 

Surrender is my ALL IN trust in God’s faithfulness.

When I let go of my rights to what I “deserve,” I discover God’s faithfulness.

It is only in letting go of our desires that we truly experience God’s ability to make something beautiful out of our broken places.

Pray About It

Lord, I am forever grateful that You will never leave nor forsake me. In the midst of trials and tribulations, You show Your faithfulness. Help me to trust you with every area of my life.

 

This post is part of our Monday Minute Linkup and we would love for you to join in and check out our awesome bloggers!

[inlinkz_linkup id=715829 mode=1]