Change, Discipline, Encouragement, Obedience, Praise, Prayer, Priorities, Relationship to Christ, Struggles, Trust, Victory, Worship

Willing to Surrender

Well, I think God is trying to get my attention! This past Sunday our Pastor challenged our church to put away our phones for the month of February. Well, I started thinking, “Oh boy, do I have a problem!”  Now before you think he meant just turn it off and never get any phone calls, that’s not what he meant. He was talking about how much technology has overtaken our lives that we tend to push God to the side.  I am not a good early riser, so when I get up, it takes me a couple of hours just to be able to tell you who I am!  So, I’ll spend time on my phone looking at Facebook or playing games just till I feel human.  I’m not one of those people who can get up and get into my Bible and do a study or a devotional and have it stick!  So, when Pastor said we should put the phones away for things other than taking phone calls, I’m thinking that I’ll never be able to do this.  My husband even thinks this will be an impossibility for me.  He knows me so well!  LOL  Then as I started working on today’s Bible Journaling, the focus was on how Mary surrendered her will to God’s will by allowing God to overshadow her and she became pregnant with God’s Son.  She gives God praise and worships Him by saying, “For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.” (Luke 1:49 NLT)  I definitely felt God saying, “Ok, now….what about that phone?” Oh boy! I am face to face with my issue! Do I surrender and praise Him for what He will do through me, or rebel?

Surrendering to God’s Will can sometimes be very difficult. There is that within us that wants to be like the daughter in the old commercial who says to her mother, “Mother! I’d rather do it myself!”  Our stubborn will can get us into all sorts of trouble.  When God puts us face to face with something in our lives that needs to be taken care of, how do we respond?  Is it a resignation with a lot of resistance, like we are saying, “Well, if I HAVE to, I guess,” or do we willingly say, “Yes Lord, I know I have a problem with this.  Please help me to overcome and be obedient to what You are asking me to do.”  If you are a strong-willed child as I am, surrendering is SO hard!  When we finally give up and do what God is asking us to do, life goes so much smoother.  I don’t know why it is so hard to just do what He wants without complaint.

We can be obedient if we remember that God doesn’t demand we do something and then leave us to figure things out for ourselves. No, He helps us be obedient. “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” (Philippians 2:13 NLT)  Did you see what that verse says?  He gives us the desire and the power to do what He is asking of us.  We can accomplish the hard things because He is right there with us helping us to succeed.  Sometimes, it can be a little scary to step out in faith to accomplish something, but that’s when we need to put our full trust in God to help us.  “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 your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB 1995)

What is God asking of you? When you willingly surrender to the will of God, you can become victorious, and as others see that you overcome, it will encourage them so that they can also willingly surrender to whatever God is asking of them. Be willing to surrender, you’ll find life goes so much better.

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Donna Knuth Rice

I am trying a blog for the first time in my life, and frankly, I feel like I don't have a clue as to what I'm doing! But, here goes. I work at a Christian Television network in the Correspondence Department, where I write letters and emails to our viewers, pray with them for their needs, and send materials they request. I am a Christian. I was saved at the age of 11 during a youth meeting at my church. My pastor led me to the Lord, and to say the least, my life has been an adventure. I am a widow. My late husband, Allen, passed away after 34 1/2 years of marriage. He had been sick the last seven years of his life, and it was a struggle, for him and for me. We met as part of a singing group that was affiliated with a Christian Radio station, and we sang together all through our lives together. We both worked in television and radio all through our married life, mostly for Christian stations. Besides singing I also play flute. I had the luxury of having parents who started out as music teachers...so music was in our house constantly. Some people describe me as being a loud-mouthed lime type...can't disagree with that. I have a tendency to put my foot in my mouth more times than I can count! I also have a tendency to say exactly what's on my mind...which is why I get myself in so much trouble! LOL! Trust me, that's something me and God have been working on for a very long time. I have no children here on earth, although I have a baby in heaven. My baby here is my dog Jack. He's a black lab/ chow mix. He's a big boy....thinks he's a lap dog! Can't think of much else to say. The reason I started this blog is because a few months ago in church, a guest pastor came and delivered a message, and when he asked for those of us who wanted prayer to come forward, I did. When he came to me he asked me if I did any journaling. I told him no 'cause I wasn't very good at it. He told me to start, and prophesied over me that my journal thoughts would impact other people. I wasn't sure just how I was to go about doing this. In fact, I was a little hesitant at first. I started journaling at home, and our assistant pastor's wife asked me to submit something for our Senior newsletter. I didn't the first edition, but something I had heard on Christian radio a long time ago and has stuck with me all these years, came to mind so I submitted an article. That article will be my first post. I don't claim to have all the answers, and my thoughts may seem a little "out there", but I feel God has been prodding me to do this, and so here I am. I hope what I post will bring encouragement, and "Something to Think About".

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