Surrender is not a word we like much, because it implies loss or compromise, and this is not very attractive in a world that glorifies winners. And yet God says to believers, “Surrender your life to Me.”
In this sense, surrender involves complete dedication, getting off the throne of my life and saying, “Lord, take charge.”
This is easier said than done. Do you know why we are the only species known to trip over this same proverbial rock repeatedly?
The simple answer is because we believe we are in control and that we know better what is best for us.
A few illustrations…
Do you recall from mythology the tale of the punishment given to Sisyphus? He thought that he was cleverer than the gods; therefore, he was made to roll a huge rock up a steep hill, but before he could reach the top of the hill, the rock would always roll back down again, forcing him to begin again.
This cycle of repeating behavior is common. Ladies, you know what I mean. For years, we thought we were so smart. We had our lists of the characteristics that our husbands would possess. Maybe a beautiful physique, brains, money, and a man who would treat us like the queen that we are. But somehow we kept attracting the same kind of person. Although they seemed to be what we wanted in a man, in actuality they would turn out to be the complete opposite.
Or we found ourselves on the merry-go-round of fad dieting. Intuitively, we knew it took many months or years to gain that weight, but we bought into the gimmick that it could miraculously come off, without pain, and within 30 days. And worse, we didn’t just buy the diet plan once, but repeatedly.
Or we find ourselves parenting a teenager in the 21st century, who knows more about technology and the virtual marketplace than we do. As good parents, we encourage our children not to spend endless hours on their devices, and restrict their usage. But somehow they convince us that their cellular telephone is essential because it is the only way we can reach them when they are not by our side.
There are undeniable truths about the psychology of human behavior. We are beings of habit. And sometimes we convince ourselves that doing the same thing will result in a different outcome. It won’t.
There are three steps you can take to change the outcome:
- Identify your patterned behavior.
- Surrender control, and realize that the answer already lies within you.
- Take an action step that leads towards a change in behavior.
“Make common sense, common practice daily.”
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