Faith Insight 18: Surrender—When My Will Meets God’s Will

FAITH THAT LIVES — WEEKLY INSIGHT

Faith Insight 18: Surrender—When My Will Meets God’s Will

“Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”— Luke 22:42 (ESV)

Repentance turns us back toward God. But as we continue walking with Him, we come to places where what we want and what God asks of us do not seem to lead in the same direction. What happens then?

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed with complete honesty:

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”— Luke 22:42 (ESV)

Jesus did not hide the anguish of what lay before Him. He brought it openly before His Father. Yet in the midst of that anguish, He entrusted Himself completely to the Father's will.

That helps us understand surrender. It does not mean that we have no desires, questions, or fears. Nor does it mean that the struggle disappears. Surrender comes when, in the midst of those things, we trust God's wisdom more than our own and yield ourselves to His will.

We may sometimes pray, in effect, “Lord, guide me—as long as You lead me where I already want to go.”

But that is not really surrender. It is asking God to approve a decision we have already made.

True surrender comes before God differently:

“Father, You know what I hope for. You know what I fear. You know the outcome I would choose. But You are God and I am not. Shape my desires, correct my judgment, and lead me in Your way.”

This does not mean surrendering our judgment to every human demand, religious claim, or inner impulse. Our surrender is to God. His Word remains the measure by which we test the voices that seek our obedience.

And surrender is not passive resignation. After Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, He rose and continued toward the work the Father had given Him. Surrender led to obedience.

Paul describes that kind of surrender in active terms:

“Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”— Romans 12:1 (ESV)

That kind of surrender is not confined to one great spiritual moment. It becomes part of our daily walk with God.

We may have to surrender a plan when God redirects us, our pride when truth exposes us, resentment when Christ calls us to forgive, or our desire for control when the future remains uncertain. Sometimes we must surrender a cherished sin because God's Word has clearly named it. Even our abilities and opportunities must be placed in God's hands so that they serve His purposes rather than our own recognition.

At times, Scripture makes the path of obedience clear. At other times, we may be holding something genuinely good—a relationship, an opportunity, a ministry, a hope for healing, or a plan for the future. The desire itself may not be wrong. Yet even good desires must be held with open hands before God. A good desire can begin to take God's place when we decide that we cannot trust Him unless He gives us what we seek.

Surrender does not say that the desire is unimportant. It says that God is more important.

This is why surrender grows out of trust. We can release our insistence upon a particular outcome because we are learning that the Father is wise, good, and present, even when His way is costly or difficult for us to understand.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”— Proverbs 3:5–6 (ESV)

Surrender can feel like loss because something really is being released: our claim to be the final authority over our own lives. But we are not placing ourselves into the hands of a stranger. We are entrusting ourselves to the Father whom Jesus has made known to us.

There is freedom in that surrender. We do not have to understand everything before we obey. We do not have to control every outcome before we can have peace. As we yield ourselves to God, our lives become increasingly available for whatever He desires to do in and through us.

So perhaps the deepest question of surrender is not simply:

“What must I give up?”

It is:

“Whom do I trust enough to lead my life?”

FOR REFLECTION

Where am I asking God to bless my will rather than sincerely seeking His?

A PRACTICAL RESPONSE

Think of one desire, plan, fear, or decision that you find difficult to place in God's hands.

Tell Him honestly what you desire and what you fear. Then pray the words of Jesus:

“Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

Ask what obedience to God's revealed Word requires of you today. Take that step… and leave the outcome in His hands.

A SIMPLE PRAYER

Father, You know my desires, fears, and plans. I bring them honestly before You. Forgive me when I seek Your approval without truly yielding to Your authority. Teach me to trust Your wisdom and goodness. Shape my desires, direct my steps, and make my life available for Your purposes. Nevertheless, not my will, but Yours, be done. In Jesus' name, amen.

Next Teaching Insight: The Cost of Following Christ

Adapted from themes explored in Faith That Lives by Dr. James D. Zuber.