The Daily Walk With Jesus: Living Lives of Hopeful Surrender
What peace and power comes from the art of the daily surrender—
There are many things a person can surrender their control over. The Bible has a lot to say about the dreams, desires, and wills that God has planted in the hearts of his people. Right alongside, we are no strangers to the worries and anxieties that can plague our daily life.
On either end of the spectrum, from the positive to the negative, thinking too far into the future can be overwhelming. God has so much for us today. Aligning our hearts with the present moment, in faith and trust, can bless our days and give direction to our steps.
So, how do we do this? How do we surrender our lives to Jesus?
For me, it began one simple morning. I was thinking about dreams that God has laid on my own heart—dreams that felt a bit unattainable in my season of life with young children. I wasn’t sure how to balance my desire to love my kids well, maintain our home, and chase after these God-sized dreams… I felt discouraged and overwhelmed.
That’s when I felt a nudge in my heart. The phrase, “one day at a time” is all I could ponder. If we can offer our one day to Jesus, we can trust that he will use it for his glory. This isn’t even about just chasing dreams—but trusting the author of dreams, and his desire to use our one life for his glory and the good of others.
“Jesus, this day is yours” is a good prayer to begin with and a posture of the heart to have.
As humans, can we even handle more than one day at a time? One day is bite-sized and attainable, and I wonder if it’s what God intended for us all along. The night arrives every 24 hours, and our days reset after a nighttime of slumber.
Everyday, his mercy is new. Everyday, we get a fresh start. Everyday, he is willing to meet us with fresh sustenance to guide us.
Some scriptures that help encourage my heart in the art of the daily surrender are written below:
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Psalm 143:8
We can pray this, and we can trust this. Ask God to make you aware of his still, small voice, guiding you along. And know that you can entrust your life to him. He is so good and trustworthy.
Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3
Part of the daily surrender includes truly committing your work to the Lord. If he is in charge, and it is ultimately for his glory, then you can commit it to him and know that even if it doesn’t look like what you imagined, or isn’t fulfilled in the way that you expected, he is establishing your plans according to his perfect purposes. May this truth bring you peace and build your faith as you watch his plans unfold for your life.
May the favor of the Lord rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:17
Now, this particular scripture comes at the end of a psalm that is focused on God’s eternal nature, and our finite nature. (A whole post on that here!) As we humble ourselves before God, and remember that we truly exist for him (and, also, that this is a good thing because he is infinitely kind), we can lay our lives at his feet, asking him to establish our days.
All in all, I hope reading this is able to encourage you to take a deep breath, and know that God is kind, faithful, and trustworthy. We don’t need to be overwhelmed by the big picture of our lives because we can take it in stride, hand-in-hand with our Maker.
Love to you!
Annalisa
For further reading: Psalm 126:1, Matthew 6:34, Exodus 16:21, Lamentations 3:22-23
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PSS: I made an art print along this theme. Check it out in the shop. Titled: Garden Walk at Dawn
