Day 13 | Rest Requires Surrender – Mona Morrow
I have a two-year-old grandson who hates naps. He plays with his toys until I find him lying down on the floor with his eyes half closed surrounded by trucks and blocks. That is my cue to pick him up and make him lie down on his bed and rest.
Can you recall a time when God made you lie down and rest? Why is resting so difficult for some of us? We know we need it, but we don’t make time for it or even know how to truly rest. The word “rest” is found in the Bible more than 300 times (depending on the translation), but the kind of rest many of us seek—when we feel overwhelmed, helpless, or sorrowful—requires surrendering to God.
There is no rest without surrender.
Surrender is often pictured with a white flag. It can seem negative, but it is exactly what we need to do.
The best example of true surrender is Jesus Himself. Matthew 26 describes His state of mind in the Garden of Gethsemane. He tells His disciples (v. 38), “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Then (v. 39) He went a little farther, “fell with His face to the ground,” and prayed.
This is the first step in surrender: when you feel overwhelmed, pray. We should follow Jesus’ example.
Jesus was honest and transparent with God, saying in verse 39, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” He was in agony, and He didn’t try to hide it. He asked if there was any other way to accomplish His Father’s will.
David also prayed with honesty and urgency. In Psalm 143:1 he cries out, “Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.”
Pray honestly. Cry out to Him. Say, “God, I can’t do this,” or “Father, this is too much.” God hears desperate prayers.
Next, Jesus fully surrendered to His Father’s will. He continued in Matthew 26:39, “Yet not as I will, but as you will.” This is a statement of total surrender.
Surrendering can be challenging for many of us for several reasons:
1. We struggle to give up control.
Surrendering means letting go of whatever is bothering us and trusting God to handle it. Control of all things belongs to God. We make the mistake of thinking we are God and have authority over ours and other people’s lives.
One of my favorite movie lines comes from Father Cavanaugh in the film Rudy: “Son, in thirty-five years of religious study, I’ve come up with only two hard, incontrovertible facts: there is a God, and I’m not Him.” We need to give up trying to be God. We worry and stress about things we cannot control, but there is a better way—surrender everything to God.
2. We fear it will not turn out the way we want.
“Fear arises when we imagine everything depends on us.” – Elizabeth Elliot
Ask yourself if you want your concerns to be resolved according to your will or God’s will. Remember, Jesus is our loving shepherd. He wants the best for us. He sees the future and promises that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Believe it will all work out for your good.
3. We think surrendering means giving up.
Actually, it is the opposite. We think we have to keep trying, working and worrying. Surrendering is asking a perfect God to handle everything. Put it all in the Shepherd’s hands where it will be perfectly managed. Matthew 11:28-29 says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Surrender is a daily process. We must trust God’s character, believe His promises, and rest in His sovereignty. C. S. Lewis reminds us, “God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself because it is not there. There is no such thing.” There is no peace or rest outside of God. True rest doesn’t come from a prescription or a gummy; it comes from surrendering to our good Shepherd. Place everything in His hands and find peace and rest for your soul.
REFLECT
1. What needs to change in your life so you can experience true surrender and rest?
2. What is one thing in your life that needs to be completely and permanently surrendered to God?
PRAYER
Father, remind me daily that you love me and want the best for me. You don’t want me to worry, be anxious or stressed. You have offered to carry my burdens yourself so enable me to trust you as my shepherd so I can find freedom, peace and rest in you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
TAKE ACTION TODAY
When you wake up tomorrow morning, before your feet hit the ground and before you reach for your phone, tell God about one thing going on in your life that you want to surrender to Him.