REALIGN

Maybe you’ve been driving down the road and taken your hands off the wheel. You know you shouldn’t. But you gave into the internal voice that bet you to see if you could drive straight for more than 20 feet. Only to notice that you car pulls to the left/right with great force. What do you then notice in that moment? You’re in need of realignment. Cars need that from time to time.

Our backs need that from time to time – that’s why we may have a chiropractor.

Our spiritual lives will also be in need of some realigning moments.

We began a new series called (RE)align – you can watch the series here

In this first week, I spoke about an attitude alignment that will need adjustment. We tend to crave control and thus surrender is NOT a normal thing we like. But surrender is necessary for us to experience the kind of life God desires for us. We looked at the encounter Jesus has with Peter, this moment of decision he had, this miraculous catch he witnesses and thus the adventure it invites him to choose. Read Luke 5:1-11

Surrender is about TRUST. It all comes down to SURRENDER – having a “ because you say so” kind of attitude!

But, surrender fights against our natural craving for self-centeredness and control.

Here’s the truth: sustained self-centeredness inevitably leads toward self-destruction!

When we crave to be the THE one in control – we may end up getting what we want, but realizing that it’s ultimately only a figment of our imagination. We’re ultimately too finite to have any real control and that leaves us feeling out of control, stressed, worried, empty and searching…

SO, when is waving the ‘white flag’ of surrender a good thing?

Never – you might say?

Maybe you’re in the military or watched all the movies that tell us that surrender is never a good thing.

Maybe you’ve had a situation happen in life where someone powered up over you and you suffered for it or from it. And the thought of surrendering to someone, anyone – is absolutely a NO in your mind. You’ll never be hurt again is your justification.

Maybe you were raised to crave the conquest – to compete in anything and everything and to WIN at any cost. So surrender to trusting someone else for the outcome isn’t something you’ll give yourself over to too quickly…

I understand those stances, those thoughts, those postures. I just want to suggest that we see in this passage and throughout the life of Jesus, something that may cause you to pause and reconsider…

So, when is surrender a good thing?

WHEN YOU KNOW THE ONE YOU’RE SURRENDERING TOO IS Worthy…and Trustworthy.

When you are surrendering to the ONE who loves you most and can lead you best!

When you realize Jesus doesn’t want to minimize you, but maximize the way He created you.

The surrendered life leads to the empowered life.

When Peter was with Jesus, He was empowered in ways he never was in living life on his own, that’s what Peter was beginning to see more clearly.

A surrendered life to God, is the one God can empower to truly live…

But friends: surrender is ALWAYS voluntary with God. He waits for you to TRUST IN HIM (your 1st step) and then he will lead you into a thousand ‘next steps’ of asking you and I to TRUST HIM again. Leading us forward into adventures with Him. Asking us to continually (RE)align ourselves to maintain a “because you say so, I will God“, kind of attitude.

The surrendered life leads to the empowered life

What’s he calling you to trust Him with today?