Today’s experience, lesson, and invitation center around the concept of Humility.
Of all of the words in the English language, most of my life I have considered the word "surrender" among the weakest of all words. What could be more cowardly, wimpy and weak than to surrender?
While I agree that we can never give up and always strive to press forward in well-doing, I have come to understand a different way of looking at the word "surrender". And for me, it has since become one of the most powerful words in the English language.
I am a proud person who feels that if there is something that needs to be done, just give it to me, and "I" will do it. "I" will push through it. Or, perhaps I think that "I" am the only one who can do it, and if "I" weren't here, it just wouldn't ever get done.
From life's lessons, I have learned, painfully in some instances, that "I" just can't do it all. I cannot do everything that is out there. I cannot be the perfect parent, husband, employee, employer, servant of the Lord, volunteer, and whatever else is put before me. I especially cannot save myself or overcome my weakness and weak things on my own. I have learned that surrendering my expectation of perfection in all things and really surrendering my self-sufficient pride that I can do all things, to God gives me more power and strength and enabling grace to in fact do ALL things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. But, left to my own wisdom and power and understanding, I flounder. I often find myself wondering why I am so powerless over things and why other things have become so unmanageable. It is then that I come to myself and realize that I am taking my will back from God. It is time, once again, to surrender. It seems that when I am aligned with God, and His will, I am aware of my need for surrender every single day.
The funny thing is, that every time I surrender to God... EVERY SINGLE TIME, things work out much better than I could have done on my own... differently? Yes... but much better.
I love this passage of scripture in terms of what it speaks to me about both my nothingness in comparison, and my infinite worth to my loving Heavenly Father. It also speaks to the fact that I cannot do anything of eternal value on my own. But, if I surrender, and focus on God and His Kingdom today... He will keep me clothed, fed, etc., and I, then, can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me ... today... then again tomorrow and the next day... one day at a time.
Matthew 6:28-34
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Today’s invitation is to look inside myself and find something that I have tried to stop doing many, many times and just seem to come back to doing that same thing (Know), then, to surrender that action to God, by giving it to Him, NOT by asking Him to take it, but by GIVING it to Him (Do).
* The premise of Know AND Do is to share my personal experiences of faith and hope, and tie those to either a verse of scripture from one of many sources that people all over the world consider as inspired and holy, or a quote from Godly and inspired men and women from throughout history. From these experiences and sources, I will then issue an invitation to myself, and in turn the audience, to Do what is now Known.
I do not pretend to be an expert on doctrine or on any of the subject matters that will be shared. I only claim to be one of God’s children, walking through life, following Jesus Christ, striving to do God’s will for me, and sharing what I experience.
If you feel this post is a positive influence in your life, please share it with your friends and family. Also, please like and follow Journey Through Life on Facebook. Find us there by searching for @JTL Podcast.
The key to knowing and doing, as with everything REALLY important, is Jesus Christ.
Of all of the words in the English language, most of my life I have considered the word "surrender" among the weakest of all words. What could be more cowardly, wimpy and weak than to surrender?
While I agree that we can never give up and always strive to press forward in well-doing, I have come to understand a different way of looking at the word "surrender". And for me, it has since become one of the most powerful words in the English language.
I am a proud person who feels that if there is something that needs to be done, just give it to me, and "I" will do it. "I" will push through it. Or, perhaps I think that "I" am the only one who can do it, and if "I" weren't here, it just wouldn't ever get done.
From life's lessons, I have learned, painfully in some instances, that "I" just can't do it all. I cannot do everything that is out there. I cannot be the perfect parent, husband, employee, employer, servant of the Lord, volunteer, and whatever else is put before me. I especially cannot save myself or overcome my weakness and weak things on my own. I have learned that surrendering my expectation of perfection in all things and really surrendering my self-sufficient pride that I can do all things, to God gives me more power and strength and enabling grace to in fact do ALL things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. But, left to my own wisdom and power and understanding, I flounder. I often find myself wondering why I am so powerless over things and why other things have become so unmanageable. It is then that I come to myself and realize that I am taking my will back from God. It is time, once again, to surrender. It seems that when I am aligned with God, and His will, I am aware of my need for surrender every single day.
The funny thing is, that every time I surrender to God... EVERY SINGLE TIME, things work out much better than I could have done on my own... differently? Yes... but much better.
I love this passage of scripture in terms of what it speaks to me about both my nothingness in comparison, and my infinite worth to my loving Heavenly Father. It also speaks to the fact that I cannot do anything of eternal value on my own. But, if I surrender, and focus on God and His Kingdom today... He will keep me clothed, fed, etc., and I, then, can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me ... today... then again tomorrow and the next day... one day at a time.
Matthew 6:28-34
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Today’s invitation is to look inside myself and find something that I have tried to stop doing many, many times and just seem to come back to doing that same thing (Know), then, to surrender that action to God, by giving it to Him, NOT by asking Him to take it, but by GIVING it to Him (Do).
* The premise of Know AND Do is to share my personal experiences of faith and hope, and tie those to either a verse of scripture from one of many sources that people all over the world consider as inspired and holy, or a quote from Godly and inspired men and women from throughout history. From these experiences and sources, I will then issue an invitation to myself, and in turn the audience, to Do what is now Known.
I do not pretend to be an expert on doctrine or on any of the subject matters that will be shared. I only claim to be one of God’s children, walking through life, following Jesus Christ, striving to do God’s will for me, and sharing what I experience.
If you feel this post is a positive influence in your life, please share it with your friends and family. Also, please like and follow Journey Through Life on Facebook. Find us there by searching for @JTL Podcast.
The key to knowing and doing, as with everything REALLY important, is Jesus Christ.
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