The Act of Surrender!!

The act of surrendering to God and letting Him have His way in one’s life is a practice that was perfected by the early Christians whenever they faced difficult situations. Take for example Stephen. When the Jewish people decided to stone him he did not resist. Instead he prayed to God asking Him to forgive his perpetrators but to receive his spirit. Stephen trusted and believed that God would not only receive his spirit but also save his soul from the fires of hell and even those who martyred him (Acts 7:57-60).

Another perfect example is the story of Paul and Silas who were both arrested and thrown into prison. Paul and Silas did not resist arrest or try to look for a way to get out of prison. Instead they worshipped God and believed that He would save them from their present predicament. As a response of their worship, the earth shook and all the gates and chains were broken (Acts 16:22-29). From this story we get that every time we trust God with our difficulties, He will always be our present help in trouble.

All one needs is to surrender his worries and burdens to Him. This always requires Faith. It is a recorded fact that faith as little as that of a mustard seed is a capable of moving mountains. All we need to do is believe. However, it is one thing to believe and another to act on that faith. Mere beliefs that something would happen if we trust in God without acting on that faith is as good as dead. Paul records in his letters that faith without action is dead. We should always act upon that which we believe (James 2:14-26). Taking action on what one believes in is an affirmation of the reality and authenticity of what he believes in, otherwise they will just be but opinions or empty beliefs.

Take for example Simon Peter. This was the most daring disciple among all the disciples Jesus had. When he saw Jesus walking on water, he asked Jesus to command him to go to him on top of the water in the same manner (Matthew 14:25-32). Peter believed that if Jesus could walk on water so could he. All he needed was Jesus to command him to come out to him. But Peter started drowning when he considered the strong waves. Jesus called him a person of little faith and asked him why he doubted. Just like Peter, most of us are always wary of the things that happen around us to the extent of giving up on our faith. It is because of his doubts and only his doubts that Peter started sinking.

One thing we should always learn is that regardless of whatever we go through we can never overcome unless we believe in ourselves and in God. But even if we believe in ourselves and even God without taking any action then the faith we have is futile. Taking action upon what we believe in gives life to the contents of our faith and even sustains them. This is what has always sustained the Christian church.