I Surrender

Philippians 4:13b (AMP)

"I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency."

Most people spend their life for self-sufficiency. As a child we long for the day that we can get our drivers license. As a teenager, we long for our eighteenth birthday. As a young adult, we can't wait until we're twenty-one. We long for this place and every milestone seems to get us closer but none seem to fully get us there. The apostle Paul seemed to understand why. He knew that the only way we could ever become self-sufficient was when we had fully surrendered to Christ's sufficiency.

William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army once said, "The greatness of a man's power is in the measure of his surrender." This appears to be a contradiction. How can we have great power when we are fully surrendered? How can we be self-sufficient when we completely rely on Christ's sufficiency? How can I be in charge when I am absolutely submitted?

Well, I don't completely understand that myself but I know that, according to the scripture, the only way to live a life that is pleasing to God is to surrender it fully to Him. And we were created to bring Him pleasure.

So, I have made up my mind. I want my life to make God smile. I want Him to be pleased. I want to bring Him joy. And so, I echo the words of Peter after a night of failed fishing. When Jesus asked him to cast the net back out, Peter replied, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. BUT BECAUSE YOU SAY SO, I will let down the nets."

Will you join me in having a "because you say so" lifestyle?