Have you had your plans for the upcoming months change unexpectedly? Have you had to let go of an opportunity or project you were really looking forward to? Have something on your calendar this week that you are dreading already?
Our word this week describes just this experience of feeling out of sorts.
Surrender— to give control or use of (something) to someone else.
And I must tell you it’s not one of my favorite words. Oh, I love verbs that are the opposite of surrender. Don’t you? I like verbs defend, hold, and keep. So much easier to understand, right?
Because isn’t life pleasant and peaceful when things stay the same . . . When your 10-year plan is fully in place . . . When you know there's a great chance you'll get the outcome in life that you desire?
But is such even possible in the messiness of the human experience? If you've been pulling your hair out recently with all the hard things going on around the world-- know I am right there with you.
Life can feel oh so hard. And it's so easy to feel hopeless. But here's the deeper truth: sometimes you and I make things worse because of our distaste of surrender.
This week, I'm wondering if you might be interested in leaning into surrender once again?
Start here: what about just saying, "I did my best" and letting the outcome be what it will be.
Or as James McTyre who says so eloquently: “Surrender is when we stop seeking to solve mysteries and instead allow the mysteries to solve us.”
Often there is so much about a troubling situation that we can see in the now.
Here's what I know for sure--
When we lean into surrender-- our problems don’t become all consuming, or all we see.
When we lean into surrender-- our worries don’t threaten to overtake us, or all we can notice.
When we lean into surrender-- our vision doesn’t become so myopic lest we leave out the perspective of those closes to God’s heart.
Though not always fun, the practice of surrender can bring such fruitful gifts to our life. I'm believing in these good things for your life this week!
I don't normally end these posts with a prayer, but today I have one for you to try: "God I am wound up tightly about ____ but help me let it be. AMEN."
XO
Elizabeth
