“When we are reviled, we bless;
when we are persecuted, we endure;
when we are slandered, we try to conciliate;
we have become the scum of the world.” – 2 Corinthians 4:12-13.
I’ve figured out by now that I don’t have the resources within myself to overcome all my problems and live the abundant life for which I long. I need help!
I’m ready to allow my conditions to lead me into the presence of God and to find relief in Him. All my efforts at attaining what I want in my life have been unsuccessful. Only God can actualize it. All that is left for me is acceptance and surrender.
Even as I acknowledge these truths, I understand that I cannot do anything about them. I’m not supposed to, if I get the point. That’s definitely the hardest part, because, as I’ve said before, I am a “doer”. Nonetheless, God is patiently breaking down my resistance. No small task for a stubborn, strong-willed person like me.
Surrendering to God can be scary. It requires trust. What if God asks me to allow others to take advantage of me? What if God wants me to give and get nothing in return? What if He calls me to absorb the unloving behavior of others rather than responding in kind? Like a human sponge.
Well, I can’t say that I’ve been a sponge. I can see what a difference it would make in my life and in my relationships if I were. I can see the beauty of being a sponge. Most people look down on others who show this kind of humility. We see this as a sign of weakness, rather than strength.
As I think about it, though, it takes much greater strength to “turn the other cheek” (Luke 6:29) than it does to lash back. So what am I really losing? My pride? My selfishness? My vengeance? My bitterness? And what am I gaining? Integrity? Humility? Patience?
There’s no reason for me to fear surrender to God. Who knows better than God? Certainly not me. So I want what He wants for me, no matter how hard my self will wants to fight against it. Once again, this too is God’s project to complete.