Surrendered Strength
Life had gotten hectic, and my emotions began to mimic the chaos. So, I did the only thing I had the strength left to do—I found my strength in the Lord.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:10:
“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
For a long while, I’ve been tasting the benefits of a fully surrendered life with Christ. But over the past few days, God allowed me to experience the fullness of who He is and what He can do—when I take my hands off everything and give it all to Him.
As my mind filled with fears and doubts, rooted in false realities I had created, the Lord invited me to sup with Him—to prioritize quiet time in His presence. He gently urged me to disconnect from everything I had been running to for comfort and affirmation: television, secular music, social media—even ministry.
In leading me down this path, it felt as if God was saying, “Let go.”
In my attempts to manage negative emotions, I buried myself in whatever I could get my hands on. But when I no longer had access to those things, I had no choice but to seek what had always remained: the presence of God. And in doing so, I found what I had been internally craving, yet too prideful to admit I was missing—the peace of God.
So, I surrendered—vocally, intentionally, and wholeheartedly. Every worry, expectation, doubt, fear, disappointment, and every tangible item I used as a source of comfort or affirmation—I gave it all to Him. I told the Lord it was all His. And if He saw me fit in due season to steward any of it again, then so be it.
In just a few days, I witnessed God move—in both the spiritual and natural realms—in the very areas I had surrendered to Him. Clarity, deliverance, and peace followed me. And all it took was surrendering all and resting in His presence.
I tend to busy myself to keep my mind from doing backflips. But over the past few days, I’ve discovered that it’s in the stillness we perceive the voice and movement of God.
If you want to hear what God is saying or perceive what He’s doing—get still. It’s inevitable.
I’ve said it before: God is always speaking, always acting. But we’re not always in the right position to receive His words or perceive His movements. Sometimes, it’s because our expectations contradict what He’s actually saying and doing—an internal issue. Other times, it’s because we keep ourselves distracted or overcommitted—an external issue.
So, practice stillness. Practice reverence. That might look like staying home instead of going out, or surrendering your expectations of God to God—choosing to accept His truth, even when it contradicts your own.
I found peace in a space where the outcome was entirely up to God. I found peace where striving and performance ceased—yet God still moved.
I’ve seen the Lord shake things up before. But in this space of full surrender, I was stunned by how quickly the turnaround came. Not just internally—but externally as well. And because I stepped back in faith, God made sure to give me insight into all that He was doing—reassuring me that He is not a man that He would lie. Where I was weak and surrendered, He was strong and fully in control—guaranteed to win me the victory.
That’s the God we serve. A God who desires to do more for us—but sometimes, it takes us declaring our weakness in order to fully receive His strength. Paul tells us that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Not just evident—perfect.
Partial surrender yields partial movement. When we don’t fully give God permission—through our surrender—there’s only so much He will do.
So today, evaluate yourself before the Lord:
Are there things in your life replacing the Spirit of God as your comforter?
Are you in a position to perceive the movements of God? And not only to hear Him when He speaks—but to accept what He says?
Are there areas in your life that you need to fully surrender to God?
