Surrendering to God – How You Can Do it Today!

by Shelbi Collins

You may be in a situation that feels wild and uncontrollable. You’re searching for direction, trying to find answers. Seeking a sliver of anything that feels like control. My friend, it may not seem like it right now, but you are in the best place possible. You have the opportunity to choose to surrender everything to God and watch how He allows everything to fall into place exactly as it should.  

In God’s Hands, Not Mine

Before I ever became pregnant (I don’t think I was even married yet), the Lord placed on my heart the idea of having a home birth. I didn’t even know anyone who had ever had a home birth or really what all it entailed. As He began cultivating in me this desire and sharing His wisdom, I came to realize that in order to have the births that He wanted for me, I would have to surrender everything to God. 

We all find ourselves in situations where we have absolutely no control. Labor and birth is like that for me. The time a baby is brought into the world is appointed by God. There’s literally nothing a mother can do to force it to begin. So through two pregnancies and two home births I have learned to surrender all to Jesus and His plan. 

Sometimes the best place to be is a place that seems out of control. It is in this place where we have the opportunity to choose to surrender everything to God and watch as He works it all out for good. Click To Tweet

Benefits of Surrendering to God

Here are just a few of the many benefits of surrendering to God. I pray they will motivate you to submit to His plan for your life.

Unexplainable Peace

When I’m experiencing anxiety about a situation, I love to turn to one of my favorite Bible verses about surrendering to God – Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV).

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”

This sweet promise from the Lord ensures that if we surrender to the will of God our minds and our plans, we will experience perfect peace. I don’t know about you, but when I’m in a turbulent situation, perfect peace for my mind and my heart sounds amazing. 

Closer Fellowship with the Lord

When you surrender to God it opens up another level of intimacy in your relationship. It’s putting your faith and trust in Him to work in your life and have His way. When you take a step closer to the Lord, He gladly accepts that invitation to commune with you.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8 (NKJV)

{Related: 3 Simple Ways to Trust God More Deeply}

The Promise of Rest

Worrying is exhausting. It can be mental gymnastics trying to figure out how to make decisions, take action etc. when you are searching for direction. But the Lord welcomes us to bring all of those worries and concerns and surrender them at His feet. in return, He promises us rest.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NKJV)

Examples of Surrendering to God

Surrendering to God is one of those things that sounds good in theory but can be harder to understand in practice. Here are some examples so that you can see what it looks like in real life.

Examples of Surrendering to God in the Bible

There are several stories woven throughout scripture showing us others who have chosen to surrender all to Jesus. When reading through these Bible accounts about people who surrendered everything to God, it should encourage us to take that step towards the Lord in surrender as well.

Jonah

God gave Jonah a task and he refused to do it. He pushed back and tried his hardest to run away. Others were punished because of his rebellion. Jonah himself ended up in the belly of a whale for three days where all He could do was think about his choices and talk to the Lord. He ultimately decided to surrender His will and took up His prophetic mission, resulting in the saving of many lives in the city of Nineveh.

The Prodigal Son

A man has two sons. One happens to be very impatient and greedy asking for his inheritance. Once he receives it, he runs away and squanders it becoming homeless and destitute. He finally realizes his mistakes, surrendering his selfish choices, and decides to return home to his father. His father welcomes him with open arms, lavishing him with many gifts. Like the prodigal son, when we surrender our selfish ways and trust everything to the Lord, we also have a Father waiting for us with open arms.

Jesus’ First Disciples

When Jesus chose Andrew and Peter as his disciples, He simply told them, “Follow me.” These words seem so simple–and they are–but they required a lot of sacrifice. These men had to leave everything behind to follow Jesus. As a result of their surrender, the early church was established and the gospel message shared with a great many people.

Other Examples of Surrendering to God

Those Bible stories may seem like unrelatable ancient text, but they are not far off. We have so many opportunities in our daily live to relinquish our plans and surrender them to God. 

Maybe you are struggling with your finances. You can crunch numbers all day, add up your bills against your income and recount your earnings. Surrender your financial situation to the Lord, and watch Him give you wisdom on how to manage your money while opening up new unexpected doors. 

Perhaps you are struggling with infertility and experiencing the pain of not having a baby to hold in your arms. Try asking the Lord what His plans are for a family for you. Seek His understanding on timing for you to conceive. Ask Him if there are areas of your life that need to be dealt with before bringing a child into the world. Surrender all of your plans and allow the Lord to comfort you through this time as He begins to reveal His intentions.

Maybe you have a family member or a friend that you are desperately wanting to be saved. You’ve tried everything you know to do to share the gospel with them. But nothing seems to be breaking through to them. Seek the Lord on your purpose in the relationship, asking Him to show you which seeds to plant, which ones to water, and when to just take a step back so the Lord can allow things to bloom in His timing. 

Whatever situation you may be facing, take some time to intentionally surrender the details over to the Lord. It can be so refreshing to know that your circumstances are held in the hands of our sovereign God.  Click To Tweet

Surrendering to God Quotes

Many people have experienced the blessings of choosing to say “I surrender to God.” The wisdom found in these quotes on surrendering to the Lord are great to have on hand when you need some extra encouragement to step out and say the same. 

“When your will is God’s will, you will have your will.” – Charles H. Spurgeon

“Hallowed by Your name, Lord. Do whatever it takes to be holy in my life. Take your rightful place on the throne. Exalt yourself. Magnify yourself. Glorify yourself. You be Lord, and I’ll be quiet.” – Max Lucado

“You become stronger only when you become weaker. When you surrender your will to God, you discover the resources to do what God requires.” – Erwin Lutzer

“Surrender your heart, surrender your dreams, surrender your life to God; then everything else will make sense.” – Michael Bliss

“Faith, as Paul saw it, was a living, flaming thing leading to surrender and obedience to the commandments of Christ.” – A.W. Tozer

“Surrender the will you have for your life for His perfect will” – “Live Original” (Sadie Robertson Huff)

“The strongest position you can be in is complete surrender” – Unknown

How to Surrender to God

We’ve walked through benefits of surrendering to God and looked at some biblical and current examples of this, as well as shared some quotes for encouragement. But how do we actually surrender everything to God?

The key is humility and honesty before God. When we come before him and admit our weaknesses and how much we need Him, the Bible promises us that we will be exalted.

“And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:12 (NKJV)

This act of faith allows the Lord to intervene in ways that are higher than our own and work things according to his will. 

Surrendering to the Lord doesn’t have to be complicated or a grand gesture. It can be a simple honest prayer to the Lord admitting that you have been trying to do things your way but are ready to relinquish your control. Ask God to have His way and allow Him to intervene in your life. 

Faith Over Fear

When you are contemplating surrendering all to Jesus, it can be a seemingly scary place. Everything feels unknown. But when you do choose to finally surrender to the will of God, you will feel a sense of security that can’t be explained. 

{Related: Shut Fear Down for Good with 21 Bible Verses About Fear}

When you surrender everything to God, it activates His power in your life to work things out according to His will. It’s hopping over to the passenger seat and allowing Him to drive the route He has paved for you. 

Now, this doesn’t mean that everything will be perfect or go smoothly. But in surrendering to the will of God, you can rest in knowing that the Lord has your best intentions at heart and will lead you and guide you into safety. 

The few weeks leading up to the birth of my second baby, I kept hearing the Lord prompt me to surrender. So many things weren’t lining up with the way I had envisioned them to. But once I let go of my control, I ended up with a beautiful baby girl and a wild story of her entrance into the world. I couldn’t have dreamed it up any better than the way the Lord allowed it all to happen.

So? Are you ready to let God have control to bring His perfect will about in your life? Comment below and let us know what you will surrender to God today!

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