Why not surrender?

My new little brother Wyatt has been having such a hard time obeying my parents. It's been such a struggle, and we keep finding ourselves asking "why???" with each new infraction and subsequent trip to timeout. My parents want only the best for Wyatt, and they are trying with all they've got to give it to him. Life would be so peaceful and awesome for him if he would be content to obey. But yet Wyatt oftentimes won't receive their love, because that would mean surrendering his will to theirs. He holds on to what he wants, wanting to control his own little life. He gets to--we can't make him submit; we can only put him in timeout--but it's miserable.

As my mom and I talked about it tonight, we were both struck by the powerful parallel of Wyatt's adoption to ours as children of God. God loved us unconditionally, while we were yet sinners, and died for us to bring us into His family. Yet, so often we are completely ungrateful for His loving fatherhood over us. What's more, we think it is oppressive!! We push forward with our own will and ignore God's. We break His commandments daily.

We do this because we selfishly want to keep control of our lives. And yet, if we would but surrender to God's will, we would truly live and experience the abundant life He has for us! It would be a life so free of conflict and worry. With each new day God gives us, we would find purpose and experience true joy as we walk in the plans He has for us.

But yet, like my little brother when he is sent to his room for timeout, here we are so often, alone at the dead end of our selfish will. Just as true, though, is that like my parents, God is waiting on the other side of the door for us. He's ready to wrap us up in His loving arms and tenderly guide us towards a life worth living. If we would but surrender to Him and trust His perfect plan for us, life would be incredible. Every day would be filled with purpose. Every moment would be full of His peace that surpasses understanding, even in the hard times.

Let's face it. we really, really suck at trying to live a life of meaning on our own.  So why not? Why not give over the driver's seat of our lives to our all-wise, all-loving Heavenly Father? I pray Wyatt will be touched by the love of his family and will learn to trust and obey my parents, so that his little life can thrive. Even more so, I pray for all of you, that you will do the same with our Heavenly Father. And please, please, pray the same for me! 

 

²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds.

Mathew 16:24-27

 

Amen!