“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV)
The word surrender brings to mind many pictures, perhaps a white flag waving above the sails of a ship or a troop of outnumbered soldiers with their hands raised. Often, we associate it with defeat, but when it comes to a life with Christ, the act of giving up control to Him is actually the beginning of our freedom.
A life of surrender requires trust, and that trust is developed in the context of relationship. Would you allow a stranger to care for your children or watch over your home while you were on a vacation? No, of course not. Trust is earned, so until you have an understanding of a person’s character, it is impossible to trust him or her with something of value.
In order to surrender our lives to God, we must believe that He is good and is worthy of our trust. For many of us, that is easier said than done, and it is often due to doubt and disappointment from past experiences with people or churches. Our hearts can become weary and hardened by such things, but there is hope! We can begin to trust Jesus when we understand what He did for us. He left heaven and came to earth; He felt hunger, hurt, and rejection; He was beaten and crucified, and three days later arose from the grave—all so He could prove His love, earn our trust, and be in a relationship with us.