“One of the biggest mistakes we make is to think of surrender as a giving up of what we want, when in reality it is a letting go. When we surrender what we think we need to be happy in exchange for God, we’re not settling for less, we’re settling for more. Surrender to God is indeed our biggest win.”- Lina AbuJamra (emphasis Lina’s)
Lina AbuJamra concludes Chapter 3 of Fractured Faith as she underscores our need to get at the root of why we don’t trust the goodness of God. According to Lina, the answer lies in our desires. Blinded by what we want, we miss the fact that delays and suffering serve a purpose. Instead, when we hurt, we expect God to remove our suffering and fix our problems.
Therefore, Lina asks, and encourages:
“What has made you doubt the goodness of God in your life? What has made you choose to numb your pain with what you think will satisfy you? It’s hard to see God’s presence when you’re focused on your pain. . . . When we’re hurting and God doesn’t step in to stop our pain, it’s easy to question God’s goodness. In those seasons, we barely remember our way back home. But home is where we need to go if we have any hope of making it.”
Home to the arms of our Savior. Consequently, when sinful desires threaten to take over, you need to reorient your heart to Jesus. Make room for the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Above all, Lina stresses, this kind of work requires solitude and silence. And it takes time. Because life in Christ involves a journey that unfolds one step at a time.
In conclusion, Lina exhorts:
“Repentance matters. Surrender matters. Even our desires matter, especially when we allow God to shape those desires in His goodness. As Christians, we might understand that victory is ours in Christ, and we might even believe it. What needs growth is our ability to live it out in the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Today’s question: Do you tend to view surrender as letting go or giving up? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Why Christians hurt each other?”
