closer to God?

[plainsong9]

MLEN, you mentioned surrendering our lives to God, and maybe I should start a whole new message to ask this.... but that is where I start to get confused. I know I'm, supposed to surrender my life and I've read about losing my life to save it and I don't get what that means. For some reason surrendering my life and losing my life always seems to make me feel like I'm not supposed to care about myself or want or desire anything because that would be focused on me and I'm supposed to let all of that go. That is where I get confused. How do I surrender my life to God and how do I know I've done it.... It can't be just about obeying God and the ten commandments.... Sorry I seem so confused.... I feel stupid....

 

[MLEN]

Hi plainsong9 your questions are good ones. For me, surrendering to God means trusting that God has the very best for me in mind. If I truly believe this then I will seek God's will in my life's decisions. For example, before deciding to take on a new job I will ask him in prayer "God, can you please let me know if this job is the right one for me, or should I wait for another?"

When I live like this, I am showing God that I completely trust that choosing his way (and not mine) is what will bring me the most happiness in life. Another real example is when I met my husband. We both asked God if we were the right ones for each other. We wanted to be sure that God's blessing was upon our marriage.

The more we surrender our lives to God in this way, the more he will lead us and the more peace we will have in knowing that the paths we are walking in are ordained, blessed and guided by God. When we understand surrendering to God's will in this way, then it really is a freeing thing. This is because we need not worry over anything as we allow the all-knowing God who has perfectly planned out things for our best good to take complete control.

 

[Emmy]

Dear plainsong9. In Matthew 22: 35-40: Jesus tells a Lawyer: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: Love thy neighbour as thyself."
Then Jesus points out: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the prophets." To get closer to God we have to follow God`s Commandments to Love freely, with No conditions tagged on: Love God with all our beings, and love our neighbour as we love ourselves. A good way to start is: Treat all
you know and all you meet, friends and not-friend, treat them as you would love to be treated. God will see your sincere efforts, and God will bless you.
Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will empower us with His Love, also. ( Matthew 7: 7-10) We ask God for Love and Joy, then we thank God, and share all with our neighbour. We keep asking God and thanking God, then share all with all around us. We might stumble and forget at times, but then we ask God to forgive us, and carry on Loving and Caring.
A Christian`s great weapon is Love, with love we will overcome all enmity and wrong behaviour, and Love is very catching. People around you will notice
and treat you the same as you treat people.
Jesus our Saviour will help and guide us: JESUS IS THE WAY. To get closer to God? keep asking and thanking and sharing all Love and Compassion, that is what Jesus tells us. In Luke 10: 25-28: Jesus tells a Lawyer: Love God and love your neighbour: and Jesus ends by saying: " Do this and thou wilt live."
I say this with love, plainsong. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.