I’ve officially surrendered to the onset of fall. My house is decorated with pumpkins, sunflowers, and words of gratitude. Each day, I burn a candle that fills the house with a delicious autumn scent. After all, we can agree that fall fragrances are amazing!
My son has requested his annual supply of pumpkin bread. I carved out time to bake and enjoyed the aroma of fresh pumpkin bread as it filled my home. However, he didn’t receive the number of loaves he asked for since I had to mail them instead of hand deliver!
Surrendering My Blog
I intended to return to weekly blogs in October, but after talking with Holy Spirit, I’m keeping the every-other-week schedule. God challenged me to surrender my plans and serve in ways beyond the written word. In response, I joined a ladies Bible study and began helping disciple teens on Wednesday nights.
In addition, I planned to begin October with a different blog than the one you are reading. I had a mini-series all set in my mind. God will eventually provide the words for the ideas He revealed to me. For today, He distinctly led me to write something different.
Surrendering to God’s Perfect Plan
At the beginning of September, my sweet Pastor husband and I traveled to Rhode Island. We were blessed to attend a leadership conference specifically for District Superintendents within the Church of the Nazarene. We arrived a few days early to explore on our own. Then we toured the area with a group of other District Superintendents from our region.
I honestly thought I would scribble words and ideas in various pockets of free time. However, I never even took my laptop out of my backpack! Instead, I enjoyed my time in Rhode Island even though I struggled emotionally with lies the enemy whispered, skewed thinking, and the pressure I placed on myself to write.
I remember talking to Holy Spirit and asking where I was going to find time to write. He whispered, “I’ll provide words when it’s time.” Each day He nudged me to enjoy exploring, delight in the people around me, and share my inner struggles with my sweet Pastor husband. Through it all, He also asked me to surrender to His perfect plan.
Surrendering My Schedule and Time
We returned home and life jumped back to busy. During our first full week back, we served several guests. Two separate couples were traveling through. The first couple we met halfway somewhere for lunch. The second couple stayed in our home, and we were delighted to spend an entire day with them. Lastly, we hosted the speaker for an event my sweet Pastor husband had on Saturday of that week.
I prepared food ahead of time so that the time with our guests was truly spent with our guests rather than in the kitchen. I honestly thought I could also squeeze in time to write. However, after I filled our bare cupboards, caught up on the laundry, cooked, and spent time with our friends, that was not the case.
I continued to share my worries with Holy Spirit, and He continued to say, “I’ll provide words when it’s time.” He began to prompt me to consider a different blog than I planned. As I spent my daily time in His Word, and as I read comments from people on my social media posts, I felt Holy Spirit leading me to surrender my previous idea and share this journey of trusting and listening.
Surrendering in my Exhaustion
That Friday morning, I woke up early. Our friends needed to get on the road, and I wanted to be able to say goodbye. As I tried to get moving, I felt like a walking zombie.
My sweet Pastor husband and I gathered with our friends, and we prayed together before they left. What a God-gift their presence was to me! As they drove away, I considered going back to bed, but I was too awake to fall back asleep.
I chose instead to eat breakfast and have my quiet time. However, my anxiety rose as I remembered my plan to write and everything I still needed to do to prepare for our next guest. I felt too exhausted to think properly! Holy Spirit whispered, “I told you I’d give you the words.”
Surrendering to Holy Spirit’s Wisdom
I knew I needed to exercise, but my body felt incapable. God gently nudged my spirit and told me, “It’s okay to lie down.” I yielded to my body’s need for rest and stretched out on the bed. There was no need to sleep. Instead, I just listened to Holy Spirit as He met me in my need.
Just breathe.
You are chosen.
I delight in you.
You don’t have to prove anything.
Again, just breathe.
Crawl into my lap; linger in my presence.
I’m with you.
I go before you, and I come behind you.
I listened for fifteen minutes and surrendered to Holy Spirit. He reminded me of things I had been learning in my quiet time. He brought verses to mind that soothed my soul and strengthened me. Not once did He condemn nor criticize. He generously poured out love and grace.
Then He prompted me to get moving. My body didn’t feel as fatigued. I was ready to exercise and move into my day.
Surrender and Trust
“I will bless the LORD who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” Psalm 16:7-11, NLT
My week was not what I expected. God added things I hadn’t considered, and I worried about completing everything I thought I needed to do. Yet, as I sit and type these words on Saturday morning, I am beyond grateful for my week.
God blessed with me gifts I didn’t know I needed. For example, the sweet laughter and joy of my friend; spending time cooking (not my favorite thing to do) and feeling delight that I could bless someone else; conversations that challenged and encouraged me; reassurance that God has all the details in hand; reminders that I am seen and loved by The Almighty.
Surrender and Release
I’m sure many of you are battling your own mini war. You could be dealing with financial strain, a health crisis, the everyday mundane that leaves you weary and burnt out, a difficult relationship, hassles at work, depression, uncertainty, or inner turmoil that steals your peace. Yet you feel you must keep going, keep fighting.
God asks you to surrender. He longs to carry you just like He carried me through my week. I fervently believe Holy Spirit is whispering encouragement and reassurance to you. Will you pause long enough to listen?
The Psalmist reminds us the LORD guides us even when our days feel as dark as night. He is always with us. In fact, He is right beside us as we journey through the busyness, struggle, and pain of our days. He blesses us with joy in His presence.
Looking back, I realize that I poured out my need to God and released my expectations. Even in Rhode Island, I began listening for the next step Holy Spirit wanted me to take instead of stubbornly doing what I thought needed to be done. We hear God more clearly when we surrender and trust that He truly knows best.
Too often, we create our own struggle by insisting we know best. God wants to guide us, instruct us, and strengthen us with such power that we are not shaken. He is the one who shows us the way of life and grants us joy in His presence. We must surrender, then listen and obey.
