One
objection people have about completely surrendering to Christ is that it makes
us feel too vulnerable. Men especially despise admitting that they need help.
It makes us feel deficient and dependent in some way.
Yet,
humility is always the best course of action in this life. Admitting that we
are not self-sufficient and that we need a Savior is actually freeing and
empowering (John 8:36).
We cast our
cares on Christ, knowing that He cares for us enough to give His life for us
and to submit Himself to the horrendous crucifixion in order to guarantee our
salvation (1 Peter 5:7).
We can ask
God for protection and provision and reject Satan's lies in his attempt to discourage
us with contempt and judgment for vulnerably admitting that we are powerless.
We come to
realize that feeling emotions and admitting our needs is not weakness but strength.
We acknowledge that we need our Father God, and possibly even a human confidant
as well.
This helps
us to heal and to feel less anxious, alone and shamed (2 Corinthians 5:20). We
rely less on addictions and destructive behavior and have more inner fortitude
to live our life for Christ.
God's Spirit
can then empower us to help other people who have similar needs as our own. Seeing
God's light and love shining in our life inspires them to trust Him with their
life as well.
Prayer:
Father God,
thank You for caring for all of our needs as a doting Father who delights in us
and even rejoices over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). We can pour out our
heart to You with all of our hopelessness and fear, knowing that You care about
everything, which concerns us.
Although You
often require that we traverse the trial anyway, we are confident that You are
walking through it from within us as well as beside us, completely surrounding
us with Your love, wisdom, presence and power. You help us to look beyond
despair to Your comfort, which is always more powerful than our burdens.
Thought for
the Day:
When we come
to Christ in our weariness and hopelessness, He hears us and comes to our
rescue; He helps us to carry our heavy load of cares with His gentle humility,
and we find true rest for our devastated soul. - Matthew 11:28-29
