Surrendered to Christ

Dear Sisters,

The LORD has been impressing on me to share some things on my heart, and even though it can be hard to share some of those things and find the time to write, obedience is always more important than making excuses of why I can't. :)

Since this last fall, the LORD has been teaching me about full surrender and what that looks like personally! I had always prayed that I would be fully given to the Lord for His service and that all my dreams and desires would be given over for Him to use for His glory - and yet I still hung on to some things, afraid to let them go. Why? Why should we fear giving up our everything to the One who created us, who knows our beginning and our end? Why can't we just learn to trust and rest in Him? Well, the Father has done incredible things in my life and shown me His great faithfulness through some really difficult struggles and then the tremendous blessings of casting myself fully on my Savior and learning to entrust every area of my life to Him!

As I mentioned in my post last fall (long ago, I know!), Psalm 34 has become my life Psalm! The lessons God taught me through each verse have been life-changing.

"I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad." verses 1-2

What does it mean to bless and praise the LORD at all times - for that honor to CONTINUALLY be on my mouth? Does that not mean that through what EVER life circumstances God allows in our lives, we can turn it into a praise because we can TRUST Him?! I have learned (and yet continue to learn) that however bleak or daunting or disappointing a situation may seem, when we have surrendered our desires to the LORD and cast ourselves fully on Him, He promises to sustain us! He loves it when we realize our need for Him and no longer are trying to live in our own strength! And what happens when we realize there is One fighting for us, keeping us afloat, giving us a future and a hope that nothing can separate us from His love and His perfect plan for our lives? I think He gives us such a perfect peace that nothing can even begin to describe and a JOY unspeakable that causes our hearts to be turned to Him in thanksgiving!

"Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." ~Psalm 55:22

I think one hard part of disappointment is when our plans are thwarted or turned topsy-turvey (especially at the last moment) and we wonder why God didn't allow that "good plan" we had in our minds to be set in motion? But I am coming to understand that perhaps that sometimes that withholding God does is because He loves us and does not want our hearts to be set on SOMETHING or SOMEONE. He desires our all to be found in Him - our fulfillment to be only discovered in His presence and our joy to be founded through abiding in Him - because only He can truly fill. Only He can truly give us all we need. And our definition of "need" may not be His - He is infinite in knowledge and understanding of the ones He has created, so why don't we just learn to give up the reins to Him at the beginning? It sure would save us a lot of heartache. I have also found that when I am disappointed about something, turning it into an opportunity to JUST GIVE THANKS whether I feel like it or not is what I must do. Because thanking God shows that I give up my will and know He has a better plan for my life.

"O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed." ~Psalm 34:3-5

Along with this progression of praise, seeking the LORD and entrusting our fears and desires to YHWH, we must learn to obey and love Him wherever He sends us and when we look to Jesus as our ultimate joy and fulfillment and abide in Him, we are in turn promised that the Father will make His ABODE in us - He promises to live INSIDE us! "...If a man love me, he will keep my words an my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode in him." ~John 14:23b Isn't this an exciting promise? THIS is the fullness of joy! John 15:10-11

I have also found great joy in seeking the LORD and learning to praise Him and give thanks to Him in ALL things with my sisters! Connecting on a deeper Spiritual level with my family members has been so incredibly enriching and encouraging! I realize that I need THEIR prayers and THEIR encouragement and we get to share nuggets from the Word that God has spoken to us, thus practicing admonishing one another daily while it is called today! (Hebrews 3:13) There is SO much joy that is produced by learning to praise God TOGETHER as Psalm 34:3 says. By opening up and sharing my weaknesses, fears, praises and prayers with my sisters, we have been able to grow our relationship so much deeper and and learn to identify sins together and repent. I treasure these moments our hearts are drawn together.

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." ~2 Corinthians 3:18

I have been impressed more and more in the last few months the extreme importance of finding my identity in Christ (not in what I do, in a status, in where I wish I was, etc.) and living with eternity in mind! If we are living for the here and now, then where are we storing up our treasures? Matthew 6:19-20 We should count all things as "rubbish" or "dung" in comparison to KNOWING CHRIST, because in the end, all that will count is what we did in the name of Christ. HE must be our pursuit. "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ," ~Philippians 3:8 But when we are living for eternity, pressing toward the mark of the prize of the High calling which is in Christ Jesus, our joy is truly made full and the temporal disappointments, trials and hardships all vanish in sight of knowing Christ. Only He can truly fill, only He can give us purpose and when we are accomplishing His will for us, we are experiencing the joys of fellowship with God and others, which is truly liberating. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth... And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Colossians 3:1-2,17

"O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing." ~Psalm 34:8-10

I am finding out the truth to these verses as they are resonating in my heart! Truly those who trust in the LORD, learn to fear Him and seek Him will not lack for ANY GOOD THING! God provides EXACTLY what we need in His timing and we can ALWAYS trust Him. It's an exciting adventure to be walking with the LORD. We may not understand every thing He allows in our lives, but He simply asks us to trust Him and let Him lead and to follow His ways for us - they are always good.

This is a hymn God gave me last fall that has become one my life hymns as well - each verse holds a special meaning to me and I am seeing how the LORD is working out His will and ways in my life as I desire to surrender every area to Him!

All Things Work Out for Good

All things work out for good, we know-

Such is God's great design;

He orders all our steps below

For purposes divine,

For purposes divine.

This is the faith that keeps me still,

No matter what the test,

And lets me glory in His will-

For well I know 'tis best,

For well I know 'tis best.

So now the future holds no fear,

God guards the work begun;

And mortals are immortal here

Until their work is done,

Until their work is done.

Some day the path He chose for me

Will all be understood;

In heaven's clearer light I'll see

All things work'd out for good,

All things work'd out for good.

 May the LORD YHWH truly be your greatest delight as you trust Him, praise Him, lean on Him and live for Him alone - He is our prize, our end, our fulfillment and our Source of live and joy!

To God be the GLORY great things He has done!
~Dani