Inspired by . . . Day 8: Surrender
This post is part of a 31 day series on JOY
You may access all the past days by clicking here.
For if you live according to your human nature, you are going to die;
but if by the Spirit you put to death your sinful actions, you will live.
Those who are led by God's Spirit are God's children.
For the Spirit that God has given you does not make you slaves
and cause you to be afraid; instead, the Spirit makes you God's children,
and by the Spirit's power we cry out to God, "Father! my Father!" Romans 8:12-15
The JOY that Jesus had was in the self-sacrifice and surrender of Himself to God. Such is the JOY that Jesus prays will be fulfilled in all of us! {See John 17:13 - Day 5}
JOY is not something we have to work to receive. But rather we receive JOY when we surrender our lives to Christ. Both initially, and with the daily act of turning from sin and taking up the cross.
It is not a question of trying to work as Jesus did,
but of having the personal presence of the Holy Ghost
Who works in us the nature of Jesus. ~Oswald Chambers
Surrendering our lives to God = eternal freedom and everlasting JOY!
What is joyful about realizing we cannot live our own life?
If Jesus found JOY in surrender,
what do we have to look forward to by having Christ live through us?
Have you surrendered?
Are you ready to have that conversation?
Blessings,
Quotations taken from So Send I You, © Discovery House Publishers
#write31days
Sharing inspiration here:
Surrendering to Him is a moment by moment process/decision I must choose to do. It's not natural, but the closer I get to God, the more focused I am on HIS kingdom, the easier it is to surrender. It becomes "natural" and a JOY! It becomes a habit that when I break it, I feel bad and want to quickly rectify it.
ReplyDeleteBut it's all about where my focus is. This world brings many distractions but my hearts desire is to be with Him.
God has really been speaking to my heart on the act of surrender. I made the choice to surrender my blog and writing to Him for Him and I see His blessings in return because of that obedience. Oh what Joy, even if I don't fully know yet what the future holds. But He is good ALWAYS.
ReplyDeleteAh, Much beauty here and Thank you for the joy reminder ... sometimes we are moved but sometimes we fail to tell others how and why we have so much joy and usually it is the ones close to use.
ReplyDeleteJOY is found in surrender. Thanks for for your truth.
ReplyDeleteYes! Surrender IS the key to joy! It's so counter to what our culture preaches. But handing over my way for God's way always is a the first step to walking in the deep joy and peace He offers. Thanks for this important reminder. Joining you from Jennifer's place.
ReplyDeleteJoy.
ReplyDeleteYes. This is what I'm choosing.
It sure beats the alternatives that are swirling around me right now.
Looking up. Thanks, June, for these words of love ...
Surrender is humility, but the flesh fights it with every cell. Good thing He is more powerful than split atoms! And that's the Power that lives within us. Good reminder and post, sister. Needed today.
ReplyDeleteAnother beautiful, insightful post. Sweet surrender is something I've discovered recently. I hope to never go back to the worrier I was.
ReplyDeleteI like how this version translated Rom 8 as "Father! my Father!" I not only read this, I feel that. That's joy! Thanks, June.
ReplyDeleteHi Joy! How interesting that you would talk about joy in Christ's suffering. But I think that's right. There was a joy in doing the will of his Father, no matter how hard it was. That is a lesson for me. Choosing joy in a hard situation is not easy. Everything in me wants to get away instead. But if I know it's the will of the Father for me, I can stay in joy too.
ReplyDeleteVery thought provoking post for me. Thank you,
Ceil
Self sacrifice and surrender are definitely not popular concepts these days. But thank you for telling me what I need to hear!
ReplyDelete