The Wisdom In Surrender

"The fear of the wicked will come upon him, and the desire of the righteous will be granted." Proverbs 10:24 A wicked person is always in fear of being found out. He has to spend time and effort to protect himself and cover his ways, watching lest anything expose him in his wickedness. He is always looking over his shoulder; he has no rest even when he's safe. "The wicked flee when no one pursues..." Proverbs 28:1 For the wicked, it is a life of turmoil; why would anyone choose this way? He can never find peace, he will never have a quiet soul. He will never know joy, the fleeting pleasures of the moment will be all he'll ever know. "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 'There is no peace,' says my God, 'for the wicked.'” Isaiah 57:20-21 But not so the righteous. The righteous places his trust in the Lord, and when that trust is absolute, he will be kept in peace because he knows that when trouble arises, either God will deliver him or the trouble will be used to mature him. He knows that nothing, absolutely nothing, can happen in his life which has not been allowed by his God, so he surrenders all, accepts all, and lives in the kind of peace that only surrender can bring. SURRENDER is a powerful thing. It's the greatest protection a person can have while journeying through this world of woe. There may be trouble on every side, but he knows he is safe in the God in whom he trusts. Even if he should lose his life, he knows that at that moment he will step into the presence of his Lord and enjoy heaven for all eternity. "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" Matthew 16:25-26 Therefore, the greatest and most valuable thing for the Christian is absolute surrender to his Lord, for he knows that his Lord will never, EVER, leave him or forsake him; he will never, EVER be alone, not for a minute. Satan can hurl his most terrible assaults against him, but knowing his God stands with him, the believer can face anything, knowing that everything that takes place in the believer's life ...will be worked out for the good. "And we know that ALL things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 This is the way of peace, the way of protection, the way of life - and that more abundantly. Pray with me: Father, I am surrounded by evil; dangers present their terrible threats to me, and I am overcome. Oh my God, restore the peace I have allowed to slip as I hear the threats of the enemy. He presents to me a thousand "what ifs," and it leaves me trembling. Father, I know this is not what you want for me. I know that my safety is in you, and in you ALONE. Sometimes my faith stumbles when the devil like a roaring lion seeks to devour me or mine. But you speak in that still small voice and you desire that I place my trust not in the roaring of the lion, but in the quiet voice with which you lead me. Strengthen me Father, I'm afraid. Restore to me the solid foundation of absolute trust even as my enemy stands before me with his threats. Oh God, help me to turn a deaf ear to his roaring. Let me return and place my trust in my God who will never leave me, never forsake me. I choose this day to turn a deaf ear to my enemy, and stand before YOU, because you are my God and in you, and you ALONE I trust.