Recently I have been thinking about giving up. (my rights, that is) Somehow I know (in my mind) that everything I have and am is God's already, but I sure like to hang on to them as if I own them. Whether it is my possessions, my time, my health, my reputation, or my family. The right thing to do is surrender them/it to God, and let go of ownership to them, let Him do with it what He wishes. If it is destroyed/lost then so be it; God is bigger than those things. It is only when I surrender it fully to Him, that God often will multiply these in our life. God takes good care of his possessions and He is so capable to care for them, but so many times I think I can do it better!
Surrender is hard! But God will not give up on us, He will keep trying us until we are willing to give up. We are in His school. He is teaching us
What examples do we have in the Bible of people giving up their rights and how God showed up and 'blew them away' with blessings!
Noah: surrendered his time building a boat for how many years? People mocked him saying why do you waste your time on building this boat, but of course after the flood he and his family were the only ones who had time! And he lived several hundred years more!
Job, surrendered his possessions and his right to good health: he said "the Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the Name of the Lord!' even when ALL his possessions were destroyed, and his children died. you know what happened? In the end of the story Job is twice as rich as he was before all of this happened.
Joseph: gave up his reputation. Twice. Once with his brothers when they sold him into slavery, and once with Pottifar's wife when she accused him of coming on to her, and he went to prison. But even while in prison Joseph chose to forgive; and gave the best service he could with a good attitude. God promoted him to become the Prime Minister of the Country.
Esther: surrendered her right to live. As queen, she risked her life to petition the king for the lives of her people the Jews. Her uncle told her that it was possible that God promoted her to this position 'for such a time as this' and he was right. Because of her selfless action the lives of her entire race were preserved!
Paul: gave up his right to health, he learned to rejoice and give thanks in his 'infirmity'. God told him "my grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness," Paul's response; Therefore most gladly, I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Cor 12:9 for when I am weak, then I am strong. Maybe that is why God used Paul to reach so much of the globe in his time and his work had such far reaching effects even today.
Abraham: gave up the right to choose to where he lived. God said go, and he went; even though he didn't know where he would end up. God blessed him with many possessions. Then later he surrendered his only son, and now he's the father of many nations.
Ruth: gave up her right to be married. She chose to care for an old lady and moved to another country. She married the most eligible bachelor in the land, he was rich, handsome, compassionate, He was the prize of Bethlehem.
Hannah: gave up her right to have a child: She gave him back to God. God blessed her with 5 more children. At the end of her life she got him back, he lived with her.
Jesus, the prime example: surrendered His reputation and became a servant. He became the likeness of man and died the death of a criminal on a Roman cross. God highly exalted Him and gave him a Name above all Names. At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow. He has become the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
I am here to tell you that just because you surrender your possessions and life to God, does not mean that He will absolutely heal you or make you rich, but He WILL take care of His people. If you surrender everything to Him, you will have such joy and peace. Let Him do your worrying.
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