Surrendering 100% Means Placing God Above All Else
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“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2
During a recent sermon, Pastor John asked a simple but deeply challenging question: “Have you surrendered your whole life to God, or are you still holding 10% (or more) back?”
That question lingered in my heart long after the sermon ended. As I revisited Paul’s words in Romans 12, I was confronted with a humbling truth - I’m not there yet.
To really surrender 100% means placing God above all else -- above comfort, desire, pride, and selfish ambitions. It means resisting all temptations and trusting God will provide for me 100% of the time –- no matter what.
Jesus puts it even more plainly in Luke 9:23:
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
Daily Sacrifices
True discipleship requires daily sacrifice of anything that separates us from God. It’s not a one-time act, but a moment-by-moment decision to lay down our lives in service to Him – every thought, every decision, every day.
As I reflected on my own life, I began to ask myself: Was I really doing this? Was I consciously contemplating each decision daily to make sure it was pleasing to God? I like to think I’m a pretty good person. I read Scripture daily, I give my time and talents to help others whenever possible, I try to offer hope to those who are hurting, and I feel I’ve stewarded the gifts He has given me fairly well. But still… Do I deny my selfish desires 100% of the time? No. Are my thoughts, words and deeds always Godly? Not always.
So, what’s keeping me from surrendering my last 10% to God? If I want to be truly transformed to be more like Jesus, I need to be honest with myself about what I’m still clinging to. The truth is that my 10% changes daily. Some days it may be my words that are hurtful or gossiping. Other days it may be what I choose to watch on TV or Facebook, or it’s my pride that gets in the way. Whatever it is, I know I need to stop and think of that “oldie but goodie” – WWJD – What would Jesus do?
I’m Working On It
As I work toward becoming more like Jesus there’s a simple question that helps me realign: If Jesus was physically sitting next to me, would I be proud of my choices? Would he approve of the thoughts I’m having or what was coming out of my mouth? If not, it’s time to recalibrate.
I know I won’t be perfect, but I want to be more intentional. I want to offer more than the 90% of myself I’ve been giving – I want to offer my whole life to please God. Jesus didn’t give only 90% of himself on the cross – He gave it ALL and he invites us to do the same.
I know I can’t do this on my own. But with the help of the Holy Spirit, I can begin each day by asking: “Lord, help me give You everything today—even the last 10%.”
Your sister in Christ,
~Mary Beth Leopold