Purpose Driven Life Day 10

Day 10, May 10th, "The Heart of Worship"
 

  The word surrender is almost always used in a negative way in our society. Surrender typically implies losing and no one likes to be associated with being a "loser." Rick Warrens say, "If winning is everything, surrendering is unthinkable." Romans 12:1 says, "So then, my friends, because of God's great mercy to us...offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer." We as Christians need to fully surrender to God and live our lives the way he wants us to. Often times this is hard and we think we know best for ourselves but we don't. There are 3 barriers that block our surrender to God.
     1. Fear - Can I trust God?
         - This is hard for a lot of us. I struggle greatly with this but why? Has God ever let me down? Has God ever steered me in the wrong direction? No, he hasn't everything he does for me is for a reason. We can not trust God until we know him better. We need to get to know God on a deeper level so that we can trust him more. "Fear keeps us from surrendering, but love casts out all fear." Rick Warren. We need to fall in love with God like we fall in love with our spouse, children, significant other. An example given in the book is, "If you want to know how much God loves you, look at Jesus with his arms stretched out on the cross, saying, 'I love you this much! I'd rather die them live without you'" That is a powerful illustration and one we should think about more often. We can't let fear get in the way of fully surrendering to God.
     2. Pride - Admitting Our Limitations
         - A.W. Tozer said, "The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven't yet come to the end of themselves. We're still trying to give orders and interfering with God's work within us." So often we as humans try and be God. We try and fix all of our problems when we can't. We have to understand out limitations and accept them and surrender to God.
     3. Confusion
        - A lot of people are confused an don't know the Lord. If they don't know the Lord how can they surrender. Sometimes people are confused about things and seek other sources but God.

  What it means to SURRENDER? 
     - Surrendering means sacrificing your life or suffering in order to change what needs to be changed. C.S Lewis says, "The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become - because he made us. He invented all different people that you are and I were intended to be...it is when I turn to Christ, when I give up myself to His personality that I first begin to have a real personality of my own." When we turn to God we become more of the person he intended for us to be. I know just by going through these 10 days that I am looking at thinks differently, I am seeing the world differently, I am seeing people differently. SURRENDERING IS DEMONSTRATED BY OBEDIENCE...even when it doesn't make sense. Do you think I want to be back in Northeast, Ohio? No, I don't but I am surrendering to God and letting him take control. Rick Warren says, "You know you're surrendered to God when you rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate others, force your agenda, and control the situation." I don't have a job right now, but I am trusting on God to get through school and provide me with a job so that I do not have to blow through my savings. This is always a test for me and this time I've just fully surrendered and I am letting him guide me and lead me and figure it out. You also know you have surrendered when you don't react to criticism and try and defend yourself. Surrender is like warfare against our self-centered nature.

   The Blessing of Surrender
      - We all eventually surrender to something or someone but it should be God! If we do not choose God we will choose some other idol to surrender to. "We cannot fulfill God's purposes in your life while focusing on your own plans." Rick Warren. We really need to have a relationship with God. We need our quiet time with him and we need to be able to hear him and communicate with him. Prayer, mediation, reading the bible. We need to be like the song by Carrie Underwood, "Jesus Take the Wheel," we need allow him to take the controls. Surrendering to God is not a one time thing, its a lifelong journey. We have to practice surrender and make it a habit. When you completely surrender you will be tested. Things will come up to test you to make sure you are fully surrendered to God.
There still are several areas of my life where I have not fully surrendered to God but I am not perfect and I am working on it. One step at a time. Here is a song to listen to.

Point to Ponder: The heart of worship is surrender.
Verse to Remember:  "Surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes." Romans  6:13b
Question of the Day: What area of my life am I holding back from God?