“Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
(Luke 1:38)
Usually when we hear the word “surrender” we think of defeat. An image of a white flag being waved might come to mind. The word “surrender” in general can have negative connotations. Yet, there are times when surrendering is not a sign of defeat, weakness, or of having lost. Surrendering at the appropriate time can bring greater wholeness and healing to our lives. It can be a strategic move, one that ultimately brings additional strength, balance, and grace to our future.
We all know this truth in an intimate and immediate way. Every night, we surrender to a certain mystery called sleep. After a long day we shut our eyes and trust ourselves to a process most – if not all of us – don’t fully understand. Even though we know we need to do this, we can resist. We can fight our need to let go and to turn in for the night. However, in the long run, we need sleep to be healthy and to live with a sense of purpose and energy.
Trusting ourselves to a greater mystery, to something we don’t fully understand, seems to be what Mary did when she heard the news of the child in her womb. At first, Mary struggled with this news. She was “greatly troubled” by the angel’s greeting. The angel had to reassure her. Mary wrestled with what she felt was being asked of her. It was hard to lose control and to trust a future that seemed uncertain, and even impossible. Yet her willingness to do so, was the way for God to give birth to something extraordinary through her. Mary eventually dared put her faith in something bigger than herself. She put her faith in God even though it turned her life upside-down. Even though she couldn’t comprehend how this could be, she continued to believe. Even though it meant other people wouldn’t understand, and some perhaps even disapprove, she put her faith in God.
While it is true sometimes, we shouldn’t give in or give up and we are called to fight with every bit of energy within us, this part of the Christmas story also reminds us of another truth. At times you and I are also called to surrender, to live with a mind and heart open to a future different than what we had originally imagined, but one with God still very present in it.
This truth applies to many areas of our lives; our experiences of loss and struggles with addiction immediately come to mind. The heart of the famous serenity prayer speaks to this truth: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.” To surrender in this way, is to give ourselves over to God and to give up our need to have power over something we can’t control. It is an acknowledgement that we need help. When we surrender, we open ourselves up to the mystery of life, to the risks of the future, and to the challenge of the unknown. However, we also open ourselves up to a more powerful experience of the grace and love of God. This is a dynamic present in most steps we take toward a deeper commitment to follow the leading of God’s spirit; some type of surrendering, of subordinating our will to God’s is necessary.
When we surrender in these ways, it’s an act of courage, not a sign of weakness or cowardice. Mary was not only willing to trust God, but she believed God ultimately wanted what was best for her. We too must trust that ultimately this type of letting go will be beneficial to our growth, and that we will be sustained by God’s grace. Do we believe we have the inner resiliency to place ourselves in the hands of a future we can’t see or name, but somewhere deep in our souls we long for because we trust it is of God? When Mary did this, not only was her life blessed, but the lives of countless others.
Wisdom is needed to be able to discern when it is time to exercise control and to fight, and when it is time to let go and to surrender. Either can be faithful. Being able to do both is important. In this New Year, may we seek this wisdom and when it is called for, be willing to faithfully surrender as part of our acknowledgment that there are many things in this life we can’t control. Let’s have the courage to turn certain things over to God and be willing to be in Another’s keeping – trusting that it is often a key step towards receiving future gifts we might never have imagined possible!
Blessings in this New Year
Pastor John