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Surrender

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 11:29
Surrender Book Cover

Have you ever found yourself working so hard for someone else’s approval? Maybe you change the way you dress to get their attention, or you stay up late going over every detail of your project for the third time to make sure yours is the one that gets recognition. The approval cycle is exhausting, isn’t it?

When we confess our need for God and surrender our life over to him, we get to rest in who he is. That kind of rest is a deep breath of joy and freedom.

what does surrender look like for my life?

There is no room for self-righteousness where the gospel is concerned. In today’s reading, Paul reminds us that salvation is closer to us than we realize (Romans 10:5–10). In fact, it’s in our hearts and in our mouths. Jesus has already died and offered forgiveness for our sins and a life of freedom. Now, the ball is in our court. If we publicly acknowledge that Jesus is Lord and believe with our hearts the gospel, salvation is ours. Isn’t that good news?

Jesus offers us rest for our weariness (Matthew 11:29). We exchange a life of guilt and shame for a life of freedom through Jesus. What does this exchange look like?

We consciously reject those thoughts and actions that tell us that our worth is found apart from Christ. We let go of our self-prescribed identities and embrace the identity that God offers us in Jesus.

When we desire a relationship with him, we forget about all of our privileges and claims to fame, as Paul did (Philippians 3:10–14). Paul was eager to reject all the things he could boast in: his heritage, his education, and his standing within the religious community. He let these all go so he could have a relationship with Jesus.

When deciding to let go of our model of self-righteous living and confess our need for God, we are headed toward a life filled with freedom and joy.

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Daily Question

What identities or roles have you put confidence in? What will it look like for you to reject this role as your source of identity and formation?

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Comments (10)

I’ve been know as the "yes girl", "just ask Nicole she will say yes."
This has been one of my biggest if not the biggest downfall. And that is my way of gathering acceptance from other people. If I say yes, then they will appreciate me, recognize me or love me more. And I know deep in my heart that saying yes isn’t always my best yes, but that my best yes is sometimes saying No. This is something I’ve been working on and I have gotten better at. Not prefect, but better at.

I still remember the day when I accepted Christ as my Savior when I was only 5 years old. And I also remember the day when I said, “Enough! I’m so tired of trying to please everyone else, trying to live for the praise of people, and tired of living like I was saved by good works instead of by Gods grace”. That was the day that I “let” my savior start showing me what it looked like to be my Lord. And that’s the day I knew HIS type of REST! I still struggle sometimes with business and others approval, but I can actually HEAR his voice now calling me to climb into his lap so he can show me what REST really is.

Self reliance, Perfectionism, People approval are the identities that I find myself retreating to. I make lists, over schedule, become consumed with myself and forget to find my identity in God. I measure myself my the worlds view. My successes and failures are based on earthly, human value. It will take a tremendous amount of faith and time in the word to reject those heavy self identity labels that I have given myself. It will be a choose everyday to view myself by Gods eyes and not the worlds.

I admit that all my life I have been a people pleaser. I am trying hard to not worry about making someone happy and change my attitude to being a God pleaser. Although I will always think it is good to make someone happy…..just not make that my top priority.

I see myself as a leader. Taking on more and more. Proving myself through being an organized leader. Not knowing how to say no. Letting this go will be so freeing.

The person who can help with info and supplies. I didn’t want to be found without. If I rejected this role, I would be more dependent on God and asking for help from other people. Such a scary thought but it will come as I relax into my trust that God has me in His loving embrace.

I put my confidence in roles and identities that other people said I was. Not bad roles, but they were indentities that got me attention – and filled me with pride (the responsible one, hard worker, the good girl, ect). They were roles that kept me from being who God wanted me to be and hindered my walk with Him, because they grew pride in my life. I have rejected those roles (in fact I only do what I need to do; I do what Holy Spirit leads me to do; even at work I do not go above and beyond what I need to – I’m not expected to, God doesn’t lead me to, and nobody cares if I do; it was a pressure I put on myself.) Ridding myself of these roles & indentities (pride) also ridded me of stress, worry and anxiety – I didn’t always have time to do what others expected I would do. My life is restful, joyful, creative, and even my natural 5 senses work to a heightened degree.

I think this is what Satan tries to use to hold me down and break down my confidence. He whispers I’m not good enough or have not achieved anything great to identify with. He loves to point out when certain people I love seem to value certain achievements I do not have just to make me feel de-valued. Admittedly it has worked in the past and still this can be a stumbling block. I see it now though. Now I can almost be a third party witness instead of going along for the ride because and ONLY because of Jesus. It’s easy in this world to read and be impressed with a resume. What God desires of me/us is not built into our achievement so the very nature of a resume is of no importance of who we to Him and in Him.

So "what will it look like"? I think it will look like light. His light. The more I consciously reject worldly identity and stand strong in His identity the more supernaturally powerful I become in being a lighthouse for Him guiding people to our savior.

Wow!! I have to admit , I had to read a few of yalls comments to decide how to answer this. I struggle with worth and acceptance. I tell myself frequently that "I am worthy", "I am who he says I am" and " I am enough". I am a people pleaser. I NEED to work on being myself, who God created me to be and be content with that. I can not earn favor with him. Who else is more important then him? But, it doesn’t come easy. I struggle to remind myself that only he matters.
It’s hard!!

I have put confidence in who I am as a mom , a manager on my job, I put confidence in being a wife…..

I sometimes don’t know who I am or what my identity is without those roles being a source of my identity.

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