In our Anonymous Meeting (Fellowship), one member brought a copy of the chapter "The Heart of Worship" of the book Purpose Driven Life. It was a good reading, many were able to relate, connect and share their experiences.
The chapter talks about surrendering to God which is also contained in the 12-step program. I have made a condensed version of the chapter to guide me in my daily life.
In that chapter, the author, Rick Warren, mentioned three barriers that block our total surrender to God: fear, pride, and confusion.
Our fear of losing our wordly belongings keeps us from surrendering to God. But many do not know that by surrendering to God, we gain more. By completely surrendering, we will discover that we have a brother beside us every step of the way. So we will have a better foothold on our lives. Surrendering will actually enhance our lives not diminish it.
Pride makes us want to be God. We have different Gods. We make money our God. Being famous is our God. Our status in the society is our God. Unless, we have other Gods in our lives, we cannot surrender ourselves to God.
When you surrender, you rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate others, force your agenda, and control the situation. You let go and let God work. The Bible says "Surrender yourself to theLord, and wait patiently for him."
Genuine surrender says, "Father, if this problem, pain, sickness, or circumstance is needed to fulfill your purpose and glory in my life or in another's, please don't take it away." This level of maturity does not come easy.
Victory comes through surrender. Surrender doesn't weaken you. It strengthens you. Surrendered to God, you don't have to fear or surrender to anything else.
Those who do not surrender to God, surrender to something or someone: opinions of others, money, resentment, fear, pride, lusts or ego. If you fail to worship God, you will create other things to give your life to. You are free to choose what you surrender to, but you are not free from the consequences of that choice.
Surrender is not the best way to live; it is the only way to live.
If God is going to do his deepest work in you, it will begin with this. Give it all to God, your past regrets, your present problems, your future ambitions, your fears, dreams, weaknesses, habits, hurts, and hang-ups. Put Jesus Christ in the driver's seat of your life and take your hands of the steering wheel.
There is a moment of surrender, and there is the practice of surrender, which is moment-by-moment and lifelong. You may have to resurrender your life fifty times a day. You must make it a daily habit.
This chapter is very beautiful. I make it a point to read it every day until I perfect the practice of surrendering to God.
