Key Text: Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
The sound of a rushing stream brings about an atmosphere of peace. Every droplet, contributing to the calming effect of the flowing body of water, swiftly finds its way over the rocks by simply following the direction of the current a picture of surrender.
Imagine if one droplet decided to swim against the tide and follow the direction of its own intent. On its own, it would struggle against the consistent force of the rushing stream, which has forged a path over and through rocks by its persistent chiseling effect. In that droplet’s effort to resist the natural flow of things, it fails to contribute to the peace of the bubbling stream and also misses out on the serenity found in simply flowing with the river. No matter how hard it tries, it will eventually grow weary under the weight of the rest of the stream and fail to accomplish its mission. All because it refused to trust the flow of things and rest in the peace that comes from surrendering to the direction of the stream.
That is what surrender looks like in our lives, it is the letting go of control and choosing to follow the direction of the stream of life that God is leading. Instead of warring against the tide of God’s plan and providence, we can choose to rest in the peace that comes from surrendering to what God is doing in our current season. It is the peace found in simply going with the flow of the stream, rather than swimming against it.
Perhaps you had planned to be married by now, own a car, pursue postgraduate studies, or even just work at a stable job but life has taken another route. Maybe God has now called you to be a missionary. Or perhaps it has been months since you began searching for a job, and nothing has come through. Maybe that long-term relationship, which once promised marriage, has come to a devastating and unexpected end. Even though you prayed to be released from your missionary calling, and fought for your relationship to work without success, the tide of the stream made it evident that a new direction was needed for peace.
Ellen White puts it this way: “…But many who profess to be His followers have an anxious, troubled heart, because they are afraid to trust themselves with God. They do not make a complete surrender to Him; for they shrink from the consequences that such a surrender may involve. Unless they do make this surrender, they cannot find peace.” (Desire of Ages, p. 330.3)
Do not be afraid to make a complete surrender to God and to trust your soul in His hands. Just as the stream of water must pass over hard rocks on its journey, the promise found in Romans 8:28 remains true. Over sharp rocks and through dusty riverbeds, the rushing stream eventually finds calm and peace as it joins the vast tranquility of the ocean to finally where it belongs, a body of water in its powerful totality.
That lone droplet, swimming against the tide, can only reach its destination by surrendering to the current and not by resisting it. You will arrive where you truly belong, in the vast, powerful totality of your purpose only when you trust the direction your life is taking. The journey may be winding, the edges rough, but the stream knows the way. God will still work all things together for your good. Let go. Flow forward. You are being carried exactly where you’re meant to be.
Reflection:
Am I resisting what God is doing in my life and where He is leading me by finding excuses to stay busy pursuing anything other than the strong and persistent conviction in my heart? What do I need to let go of or change in my demeanor and desires; so I can follow the stream’s flow toward the person God is calling me to be in this season? Am I willing to make a complete surrender to God in all aspects of my life?
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank You that You are in charge of the tide and direction my life must take. Because of Your Word, I can trust that all things will work together for my good, even when I cannot see or understand it now. Help me not to fight against Your will, but to make a complete surrender to what You are doing in this season of my life. Help me, Lord, to trust in You and Your timing. Give me the peace and joy that come from surrendering all to Jesus. In His name I pray, Amen.