Surrender is a funny term as it applies to a journey of faith or recovery. Here’s a few examples:

• Step 3 in the tradition Alcoholic Anonymous (A.A.) program reads, “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him”
• Matthew 26:39 “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
• Steps 1 and 2 in A.A. require us to admit our powerlessness and believe someone else does have the power
• James 4:10 “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

When I said “funny” in the paragraph above, what I meant was that “surrender” is a presumptive term. Meaning that in order to have the need to surrender, it implies that one must be in a fight or battle. If you’re not, why would you surrender and to whom?

As a person in long term addiction recovery, I know firsthand the battle with drugs, alcohol and sex and how these can wreak havoc in one’s life. It did for me. And it did seem like a battle. So, the language of surrender made sense to me from the start of my recovery journey.

But what does the term “surrender” mean in the life of one not in a recovery program?

The first question is do you feel like you’re in a battle?

• Does your life often feel out of control?
• Are you unsatisfied with your closest relationships?
• Maybe you sleep poorly at night?
• You have a habit – or addiction – that you can’t seem to shake?
• Find it difficult to be totally honest? Are little white lies useful in your life?
• You know about God, but don’t really know God?
• Something seems to be missing, and you know a few others in your life that don’t feel like that?

Any one of the above examples could be an example of being in a fight or battle. The Good News is you no longer need to live like that.

Follow me on these two thoughts/verses:

• Romans 10:9 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”
• Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Did you get that? Make Jesus the ruler in your life (meaning agree that “Jesus is Lord”) and believe Jesus rose from the dead. Now you have surrendered to him. The battle is over. He has the power to end the fight when he chooses.

Secondly, God will give you a peace that is beyond what you’ve ever known or experienced before, even if your circumstances don’t change.

Recognize you are in a battle, and it can end now. Surrender to the One who has all the power. And he will come through on his promises, in his timing.