When It’s Hard To Surrender Everything To God

Surrendering everything is a continual habit of those who are in Christ. It’s not always easy to surrender to God but the peace and joy that comes with living the surrendered life is well worth the struggle.

“God is not on my side.” I stopped and listened to what my son was saying. 

“You think that if God is on your side that everything that happens would make you happy?” I asked him. 

My son was feeling down and out. Unhappy about a decision we had recently made, he felt that things weren’t going the way he wanted to at all. 

While his perception was off, I understood where he was coming from. 

Why was life so incredibly hard? When would things start turning in my favor instead of always against? 

Learning to surrender my will to God has not been easy for me. I too, sometimes think that if I had God’s favor then things will ALL go well.

God’s favor does not mean an easy life. Not at all. I personally believe that God allows us to go through trials to strengthen us and make us more like Jesus. 

There are many days where I feel that going through difficult trials is actually turning me into someone I don’t want to be. 

I don’t want to be heartbroken all the time. I don’t want to battle depression and discouragement daily. 

Where is the victory? But then I pray that if God wants me to go through this to mold me into the woman He wants me to be, I want to surrender. 

I want to surrender ALL. 

Not only the things that are easy to surrender but also the very hard things. 

I want to give Him control of my life, and do things according to His will. 

What does it mean to surrender all?

To surrendering everything to God is an act of faith. It means to put your complete trust and hope in Christ with everything that is happening in your life. 

For a new Christian, surrender happens in a moment, but also is a continual habit of those walking in Christ. 

Surrendering all of our problems and worries to God means placing our complete trust in His providential guidance.

Daniel 4:35 “All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven. And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand. Or say to Him, “What have You done?”

Cast all your burdens upon him. Jesus wants to carry those heavy burdens for us. When we are able to cast them all upon him our life will not be so difficult. 

How can I completely surrender to God?

First and foremost, it’s a decision of choosing to trust God. It’s opening our palms and letting go of the burdens. 

There was a story told of a woman that struggled to forgive her grandfather for something he had done to her. He had already long died, but still, she fought this bitterness. 

One day she was praying desperately. “Why do you not take this away from me?” She cried. 

“Look at your hands,” God told her. 

She looked down and saw her hands, clenched tightly into fists. 

“I can’t take this away from you until you let go.” 

This story has been true in my life so many times. Only when I am finally able to let go, does the Holy Spirit move and do things for his glory. 

Letting go is hard. We need a lot of prayers to be able to reach that point of trust and faith. 

God, help me to trust You with this situation. 

Help me to surrender it all. 

In order for us to surrender it all, we need to realize that we need to trust God.

At times it feels like God has forgotten about us. But that’s not the truth. The Bible tells us that He will never leave nor forsake us. 

That situation that feels unbearable? He sees it, and if we are willing to receive His enabling grace, He will provide.

Open your heart to the will of God and say with all honestly, not mine, but thine, will be done. 

Why is letting go so hard?

As humans, we strive to control. Women especially want to have everything in their control. 

I find that the need to control is a lack of trust. In a recent survey that I did, an alarming number of women told me that trust was the biggest issue in their marriage.

A lack of trust makes us controlling and fearful. I have been the guiltiest of this. Letting go of control feels scary, because what will happen if I don’t make it happen?

1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Scripture is clear that we shouldn’t focus on the plans, needs, and uncertainties of tomorrow. Instead, we can trust that we have a heavenly Father that cares for us. He cares for the birds, how much more will He not care for us?

The first step to learning how to surrender completely to God is to know the Word.

When I find myself struggling to trust and to let go, it is always because I have not been saturating my mind by the Word. When we don’t fill our minds with the truth of God’s Word, the devil will seek to fill it with his lies.

Next, be persistent in prayer. Full surrender is much easier when our life is filled with meaningful prayer and time sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Surrender all your worries to God. Big, or small, He will take care of them all.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

It’s not always easy to surrender to God but the peace and joy that comes with living the surrendered life is well worth the struggle.

The more you know him, the easier it becomes to surrender everything to God. So make your daily quiet time with God of utmost importance.