One thing is made clear to us when we decide to follow Jesus. It's that we have to put aside our own desires and our own ways and adopt the desires and ways of the Lord. Our lives are no longer ours to make a mess of, but His to bring beauty from. Therefore, the ultimate sign of a child of God is surrender on the basis of faith.
Because He isn't forceful or controlling, there must be a foundation of trust. And in order to build trust, relationship is key. According to Webster's, the word "relationship" simply means "the way in which two or more people, groups, countries, etc., talk to, behave toward, and deal with each other... the way in which two or more people or things are connected."
So then, what are the ways you connect in relationship to the Almighty? Do you feel there is any connection at all? If not, are you waiting on a feeling or on His pursuit to be made more obvious? Do you want to know God more, or just know about Him? Does your relationship with your earthly father cause you to believe God is mean and unloving, creating reluctancy in your heart? And if you are in a relationship with Him, how much do you pursue Him? How important is a relationship with Him to you? How deep are you willing to go, and how vulnerable are you willing to be with Him?
If only one side pursues, the relationship isn't truly a relationship, but a one-sided activity. In my experience, a relationship with God will call one deeper and to a more vulnerable level than ever before. It will challenge the very core and, at times, it will feel too hard to continue. It's built on talking to the Lord and learning to hear His voice. It's built on intentional focus on Him and who He is, saving us from the despair that occurs when we don't. It requires seeking Him out because, whether you know it or not, He is already seeking out each of us.
Surrender on our parts won't mean we no longer make mistakes or sin. It doesn't take away our own human nature. There is a battle taking place between the spiritual man and the one of flesh, and the fleshly one threatens the spirit's peace, joy and ability to love. The fleshly one can be blinding to the spiritual one, distorting the truth. But God wants to see us overcome those things that cause us to settle for short-term happiness. He wants us to stand strong against our enemy's conspiracies, because our enemy knows our weaknesses too.
He invites us to believe Him on this journey so that we can follow the path He sets for us. Therefore, let this scripture cause you to examine your life. Are you living by your standards or His? If you aren't surrendering in any aspect of your life, you can ask Him to help you do just that. And He will because when we ask for help, we make room for Him to shine through. It's then that our lives reflect faith, which is God's standard of righteousness.
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