Surrender…
Story
This is a story about an unassuming 5th grader who unfortunately gets bullied every day by a 6th grader who is
bigger,
stronger,
taller,
more clever,
and more determined
to get everything he wants from as many people as possible. Sometimes the 6th grader takes the 5th grader’s money, and sometimes the 5th grader gives the money away without a struggle.
Eventually, however, the 5th grader finds out about an 8th grader who is
even bigger
even stronger
even taller
and is surprisingly straightforward and subtle in his confidence and ability to do the right thing, to stick up for those who are being tormented and abused, to protect those who are in need.
And so, the 5th grader approaches the 8th grader and asks if he can give him his lunch money each morning to hold and protect until lunch time so that the 5th grader can finally eat a good meal in the middle of the day. The 8th grader agrees, and the 5th grader gives the money to him to protect it—the 5th grader cannot protect his lunch money on his own, and is tired of giving it away (and having it taken) by one who wastes it. And so the 5th grader begins eating again, and also walking throughout school with his head held high, something that hasn’t happened in a long long time.
Similarly, we cannot guard/protect certain things on our own—our dreams, fears, pain, desires, hopes, guilt, needs, etc.
We need to surrender them to Jesus, Who is the Biggest, the Strongest, the Safest, the most Powerful, the most Loving, etc.
What does this look like?
1. We surrender our hurt/pain to Jesus when someone has wronged us so that we can forgive them. We cannot do the right thing–forgiveness–while we are carrying around our hurt pain and desire to get revenge. But we give them to Jesus–asking Him to heal us and help us to forgive the other person. This doesn’t mean that what they did was right–it wasn’t; it doesn’t mean that our pain doesn’t matter–it does. But trusting Jesus with it by asking Him to take it and asking Him to help us to forgive–that’s surrender.
2. We surrender our desires–our good healthy desires for love, comfort, acceptance, joy, pleasure–when we give them to Jesus and ask Him to help us wait to experience those good desires in a healthy way. Jesus will help us say no to experiencing those desires in an unhealthy way; we’re not saying the desires are bad, just saying that we need Jesus’ help to meet those needs in the right way at the right time (e.g. just like it’s not appropriate to poop in the middle of class at school; nothing wrong with pooping. Natural desire, gotta do it. But in the right place, at the right time, ya know?)–that’s surrender.
3. We surrender our shame and guilt to Jesus so that He can help us have joy–we are not supposed to carry around the guilt we feel–or will feel–over our poor choices. So we surrender them to Jesus by trusting that Jesus’ death on the cross and return to life really has erased and paid for our sins (if we have accepted Jesus’ forgiveness for our sins). We trust that Jesus really is powerful enough to forgive our sins–and that we do not have to try to earn that forgiveness; indeed, we can not do enough to earn that forgiveness (this is what God is teaching me most these days)–that’s surrender
4. We surrender our popularity to Jesus so that we can move around our desire to be popular and try to do the right thing that might cause others to make fun of us
being friends with an outcast at school;
respecting/obeying our parents;
following Jesus and loving Him and not being sorry or ashamed about it;
giving our best efforts at school even when we don’t feel like it, etc.
We trust Jesus with our popularity instead of trying to protect it ourselves–that’s surrender.
That’s surrender, ya’ll—and that’s what we need to do everyday…
Trusting in Jesus and living for Him by surrendering anything that keeps us from loving, knowing, and following Him.
Closing Song
So as we close with a powerful song called “I Surrender”, I want you to talk with God silently in the privacy of your minds and hearts about what you need to surrender to Him. Many of you need to surrender something to Jesus that you’ve been holding on to for too long:
–Pain
–Grief
–Pride
–Fear
–Guilt
–Anger
-Shame
-Regret
–Hatred
-Jealousy
–Loneliness
–Unforgiveness
Trying to meet certain good desires in unhealthy/sinful ways:
-Love
–Friendship
–Acceptance
–Popularity
-Attention
Some of you may have to surrender not just a portion of your lives but your entire life to Jesus—for the first time or as a recommitment of a decision you made years ago. During this song, please let it be a time that you share only with Jesus, your Savior, Friend, Creator, God, and Biggest Fan…
Love ya:
I Surrender
by Seventh Day Slumber
I’m giving You my heart,
and all that is within
I lay it all down
for the sake of You my King
I’m giving You my dreams,
I’m laying down my rights
I’m giving up my pride
for the promise of new life
And I surrender all to You, all to You
And I surrender all to You, all to You
I’m singing You this song,
I’m waiting at the cross
And all the world holds dear,
I count it all as loss
For the sake of knowing You
for the glory of Your name
To know the lasting joy,
even sharing in Your pain
And I surrender all to You, all to You
And I surrender all to You, all to You
© 2005 Integrity Music