What does surrender mean and how do we do it?

pinkjess said:

How does one surrender their life to God? Like what would it look like in a practical application? I always try to tell God when I pray that I am surrendering my life to Him. But I think it means that I give everything to Him and be prepared for Him to ask me to do something hard, like become a missionary. I am afraid He will ask me or put me through something I feel unsure about, so I am hesitant to give myself fully to Him. I am still holding on to control, I guess.

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Jesus said that all the commandments are summed up in loving God and loving your neighbor. I think if you are truly surrendered to God you will do that.

The easiest way to surrender is to try to understand what is God's will/nature. Since we know that GOD is LOVE we have to figure out how to display GOD's Love daily. He may or may not want you to become a missionary, but you can technically be doing missionary work if you share the good news and encourage people by giving your testimony or explaining to them that Jesus loves them. Also before doing something you can ask yourself what would Jesus do. Hope this helps, God bless!

pinkjess said:

How does one surrender their life to God? Like what would it look like in a practical application?
pinkjess: Basically it be..."Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

I always try to tell God when I pray that I am surrendering my life to Him. But I think it means that I give everything to Him and be prepared for Him to ask me to do something hard, like become a missionary.
pinkjess: Do you not know that you already be a missionary? your mission field be whatever you go...how you live, act and speak to others should show that you're a christian young lady. The bible teaches us how to live godly and Jesus be the One we're to emulate each day.

I am afraid He will ask me or put me through something I feel unsure about, so I am hesitant to give myself fully to Him. I am still holding on to control, I guess.

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pinkjess: The "Great Commission" is for all who claim Jesus as Lord and Savior, whether the Lord sends you to a foreign mission field or has you working where ever you may go, your full time job is to be representing the Lord...if you sought Jesus for salvation, you aren't your own ... 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

pinkjess said:

How does one surrender their life to God? Like what would it look like in a practical application? I always try to tell God when I pray that I am surrendering my life to Him. But I think it means that I give everything to Him and be prepared for Him to ask me to do something hard, like become a missionary. I am afraid He will ask me or put me through something I feel unsure about, so I am hesitant to give myself fully to Him. I am still holding on to control, I guess.

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Very good question, and asked well, too.

One does not need to know what God wants for you to surrender to him. It basically means what you suggest, and can certainly be a hindrance to surrendering completely to him. (I'd call this committing to always yield to his will and be obedient now and in the future.)

It is hard and/or scary until you believe in truth about what God is like. We hear "God loves you" so much that we can end up associating it with all kinds of stuff. For example, "God loves everyone" even though horrific things happen to many people. This passage indicates that the whole world is under the control of Satan and that Jesus came to give us understanding so that we might know God.

We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:19-20, 1984 NIV)

Looking at your past experiences or the world is not sufficient to know what God is like or what his love is like. We have to examine, understand, and believe Scripture to know what God is like. In Scripture we see that on a personal level, God cherishes you more than his own life.

Important to genuinely submitting (aka yielding, aka surrendering) to God is recognizing that

1. God loves pinkjess more than his own life. If you have a need that can only be met by him dying, he will do it.
   
2. Everything God does in your life is for your long-term benefit, blessing, or reward
   
3. God doesn't require anything of you that you cannot do,
4. God will prepare you for everything he requires of you (abide in him to make it easier)
   
5. God helps you with everything he requires of you (do you want his help? If you aren't committed to following whatever help he offers, then you don't really want his help [you probably want him to do something you want, like take away pain sooner than when he has chosen])
   
6. God is always with you no matter what. He will never, ever leave or forsake you.
7. Not everything that happens to a person is God's will (so continually seek to draw closer to him so that you receive his help and protect you from everything not his will),
8. God may require you to suffer and/or die (go through these trusting God, who guarantees an awesome outcome: knowing him better, having more peace, love, joy, being made perfect, etc.)

Read Psalm 91 and see what God does and will do for pinkjess. Do not wonder how it can be true because you don't see it happening. We experience the Truth through faith, which God grants. Our part is to believe what he said, because it is true. Any interference with us experiencing it is because of something at our end. Seek him for deliverance from it.

pinkjess said:

How does one surrender their life to God? Like what would it look like in a practical application?

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By walking in obedience to everything you know to do. And if something is being a problem, seeking out help to assist you in walking it out.

I always try to tell God when I pray that I am surrendering my life to Him. But I think it means that I give everything to Him and be prepared for Him to ask me to do something hard, like become a missionary.

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It sounds to me like you are over-thinking it.

I am afraid He will ask me or put me through something I feel unsure about,

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Think of a small child. Do you not think potty training is something they feel "unsure" about? How about going to school for the first time? Learning how to drive? Getting your first job?

Life is full of things we are unsure about. God uses them to grow us up into HIS image.

pinkjess said:

How does one surrender their life to God? Like what would it look like in a practical application? I always try to tell God when I pray that I am surrendering my life to Him. But I think it means that I give everything to Him and be prepared for Him to ask me to do something hard, like become a missionary. I am afraid He will ask me or put me through something I feel unsure about, so I am hesitant to give myself fully to Him. I am still holding on to control, I guess.

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We surrender by suffering for Christ. We all become hesitant to give ourselves fully to Him when we suffer through various trials of life.

Philippians 3:7-14 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (tough words for us all; tougher to live).

Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Anything God puts us through is for the good of everything...

pinkjess said:

How does one surrender their life to God? Like what would it look like in a practical application? I always try to tell God when I pray that I am surrendering my life to Him. But I think it means that I give everything to Him and be prepared for Him to ask me to do something hard, like become a missionary. I am afraid He will ask me or put me through something I feel unsure about, so I am hesitant to give myself fully to Him. I am still holding on to control, I guess.

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This doesn't sound like one who is willing to bow to God, as not trusting Him to do good for you! That will not profit you eternally or presently. Try reading the Gospel by John fully and see if that helps your thinking.

God is Love, and he is good! You are his child, and he loves you very much! Therefore, he will never ask you to do, something which will hurt you, or destroy you! And, when he asks you to do something, he will also provide the strength and everything necessary for you to do, what he asks!

first, you must surrender to His 'opinion'. your body tells you that you are sick; He says that by His stripes you were healed. your checkbook says you are poor, but He said that He has given all things that pertain to life and godliness to you through the knowledge of Him (so the balance in your checkbook increases with your knowledge of Him). your feelings tell you that you are alone, but He says He never leaves nor forsakes you.

as you strive to focus on His 'opinion' about things that you struggle with, and count His 'opinion' true regardless of other 'reports', your body will begin to become strong and healthy instead of weak and sick; you'll begin to strive to receive what He's already given to you instead of striving to get Him to give more; and your feelings will change to the joy of constant companionship instead of loneliness.

don't make surrender your goal; make knowing Him your goal, and as you realize more and more how good He is, surrender will come as an effortless side-effect of knowing Him

Surrendering means letting Go.
See God who created everything has all the resources at His disposal. He owns the cattle of a thousand hills. Nothing is too hard for Him.

The stuff he wants US to do is minor compared to what He will do through us.

For example in the OT there was this king called Naaman. Unfortunately he had leprosy but a servant girl told him elisha could heal him right, because Elisha knew God. naaman wants to be healed and demands that elisha come visit him personally but he cant come and just tells Naaman to wash in the river Jordan seven times so he will be healed. but naaman doesnt want to do that.

It was a simple thing but he didnt want to do it! (Apparently he thought the river Jordan was not clean enough) Till, the serving girl made him see that God wasnt actually asking him to do anything hard. Finally he swallowed his pride and went and did what the Lord said, and guess what he was healed and his skin was as new as a babies.