I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the call of God on my life. I tried many times to “do the will of God” in my own strength. Each attempt leaving me even more frustrated with myself. My own efforts were futile and so, I decided to stop and seek. Stop the striving and seek the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul and strength.

Day after day, I get to enjoy such rich, intimate time with the Lord. In my room, just me and Jesus. Out of this time spent in the secret place I heard God saying…

"Be still and know that I Am God." 
Psalm 46:10

“Wait. Wait on Me to direct your next steps.”

I think I am beginning to understand why God has had me wait. As I’ve continued to seek Him first trusting all else will be added, my wisdom has increased. Wisdom gave me eyes to see the deeper motives of my heart and what was driving me to act compulsively. (Not a fruit of the Spirit!) I was going before the Lord instead of letting Him lead me. In slowing down to listen for His voice, I realized I was living without His guidance. As a 3 year old born-again believer, inwardly I was still motivated by things other then the Holy Spirit’s leading. I was living like a sheep without a Shepard. The lesson I needed to learn was how to let the Lord guide me. I realize I relied too much on my own strength – trusted too heavily in my own understanding. As a result, I would have continued to walk my own way, continually going astray…

A few scriptures come to mind like:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths."
Proverbs 3:5-6

"All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."
Isaiah 53:6

"The Lord is my Shepard"
Psalm 23:1

God gave me understanding that the work of the cross of salvation is ongoing. That His plan and purpose for each individual He calls is just as unique as the person themselves. That if God is asking you to stay, wait, be still and simply know who He is; He has great reason for doing so. He speaks to our hearts in quite still moments. He accomplishes a lot in times of waiting. Think about how He forms a child in their mother’s womb. Or how a seed grows once it’s planted. None of it we really see, but God is doing a work of transformation. Taking up our cross, denying ourselves, it is an act of humility. Faith is trusting God knows what He is doing! And it’s all only possible through His grace.

Following Jesus is like walking on a narrow road. There are many things you could be doing or pursuing at any given time. Life is full of ideas, places to be, people to see, and things to do. To know what God wants you to be doing and living in His will requires a submissive heart. Humble obedience, a renewed mind and a heart steadfast on seeking His kingdom and righteousness. A life wholly surrendered to pleasing the Father, just like Jesus.

Let us remember the end goal: to be found a good and faithful servant and a wise steward of all that God has entrusted to us. For me it is, when my life here is finished, to get to look in the loving eyes of my Savior and feel no shame. To get to hear, “my precious daughter, how so very proud I am of you, come unto Me”. I believe this is why we are told to look to things above, not beneath. Why the Word instructs us to have our hearts set on treasures in heaven and not on earth. It puts everything into perfect perspective. For every saved born-again believer of Jesus Christ, this world is not our home. Our true life is hidden with Christ in God, and so is our purpose and calling.

"The world and its desires pass away, 
but whoever does the will of God lives forever."
1 John 2:17

I titled this first post surrender to the call because I believe even by typing this out here and now, that’s what I am doing. I don’t know what will come of this but I trust the Lord’s leading. I hope to encourage you to come to a place of deeper surrender. In whatever capacity that may be.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 5:3

By this we know that God blesses a spirit that recognizes their need for Him. It is wisdom to understand our utter dependency on Him to do anything worthwhile in this life.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
John 15:5