Shooting the Breeze
As this new year has begun I have been thinking and praying about what God wants me to focus on this year. Last year I felt God calling me to focus on living with anticipation.
Anticipating God’s powerful work around me.
Anticipating God’s powerful work in me.
Anticipating God’s powerful work in others.
Anticipating that God is going to do great things!
This year I feel God calling me to focus on the word SURRENDER.
I have to admit that the word surrender doesn’t make me want to jump up and down in excitement.
I am guessing this is why God wants me to focus on it.
Surrender makes me think of weakness but in reality it is actually our greatest strength, that is, if we do it in the right ways.
2 types of surrender
As I go into 2012 I want to focus on two aspects of surrender.
1. Passive surrender.
This is the acceptance of what is. Whether that might be an illness, a job loss or a crisis with our children. In passive surrender we acknowledge painful emotions (sorrow, anger).
We also let God take us through those emotions to a place where our mind and emotions will line up to accept the painful situation.
We don’t “give up” in the sense of despairing, ceasing to look for solutions or ceasing to pray. Rather, we come to a place where we trust God to meet our deepest needs, whatever happens.
This is definitely an area that God has been working on me over the last number of years and I know I still have a lot of room to grow here.
2. Active surrender.
This is the decision to take action in accord with what we believe God wants us to do, despite risks and costs.
Active surrender often involves moving from a situation that feels relatively safe to one full of unknowns.
Active surrender can be harder than passive surrender because we genuinely have the option of avoiding the tough situation. It’s easier to accept what we can’t avoid than to accept what we can avoid.
What is God calling you to focus on this year? I would love to hear about!
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Wow, you DID pick a scary word. Brave person you are. I think sometime surrender sounds so threatening because we think God will demand us to give up everything. In reality, He walks along side of us, loving us until we realize all we have is already His and there is nothing to give but ourselves. I used to pride myself on my independence until I realized it was such an obstacle to giving it all to God. Good thoughts, Kevin. Keep us posted how this word evolves in your journey.
Jean Wise recently posted..Spiritual Discipline of Pilgrimage
That is so true Jean. Surrender is not so threatening because of the reasons that you mentioned.
Thanks for sharing!
Kevin Martineau recently posted..A Christmas poem
This is the word that best summarizes the Christian life, I believe. Thanks for picking this topic! My three words for the year are: Simplify, Family, and Home.
Here’s an AA quote that I love regarding the concept of Surrender and Acceptance:
‘And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. … I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.’
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Those are 3 great words to focus on Steve!
That is an awesome quote. I love it.
Thanks for sharing!
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Life isn’t life without surrender. Love how you broke it down here–good distinctions. I have several words rolling around in me this year. Sometime soon I hope to share them!
Thanks Kevin.
I look forward to reading about your word(s) Jason!
Thanks for sharing.
Kevin Martineau recently posted..4 steps to teach our children to make right choices
For me Surrender is one the best decision if you don’t take it anymore..
Fatima Hipolito recently posted..דיוור אלקטרוני
Sometimes we can be stubborn and try to continue on when in reality the best thing to do is surrender.
Thanks for sharing Fatima!
Kevin Martineau recently posted..Divine delays and detours
That’s Right kevin I agree with that thanks for your reply and the info I appreciate this..
Fatima Hipolito recently posted..sms
The two ways to surrender is taken to be negative and positive. I must say that surrendering is not bad as it sounds, thus it just prove that life is full of battle and whoever surrenders, It just avoid it for a better reason.
Mika Castro recently posted..credit cards
The key is to know when surrendering is the best option and when it is not.
Thanks for sharing Mika!
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this is a good post about surrender, Kevin! your insights shared about “active surrender” are a challenge to wrap my head around, and very good to be encouraged to do. here’s to you as you continue to seek out your word and put it into action in your life!
brianne recently posted..Akiane & Heaven is for Real
Thanks for adding to the discussion Brianne!
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