Digging Deeper: Surrender Your Plan

There, Jesus sat in the middle of His purpose, His plan for Simon.

Surrendering is releasing the control you think you have and trusting God to handle everything.

When I get that uneasy feeling in my stomach, when I begin to feel discontent, when I am not at peace, surrendering something is almost always what needs to follow next. No matter what it is that I am trying to control, I can tell that God wants me to release it.

The most vivid moment in my life where I struggled to surrender was in 2020. With the weight of the pandemic and everything that felt lost, I felt like God was calling me to step away from teaching for a bit. To walk away from a steady paycheck in the middle of a pandemic was definitely not something I wanted to sign up for. But the moment I realized the surrender was real, I resigned.

Because of that obedience, God opened some amazing doors, opportunities, and blessings I would have otherwise missed out on. Of all of those moments that I will never forget, I was given one that still rocks me to my core. God knew what chapter was coming in my story, and He prepared a way for me to be present in ways being a teacher would not. He gave me the time to be present and walk with my mom when her terminal cancer returned. In those months, He healed a lifetime of hurt, even while I was breaking inside. Because I had surrendered my plan, I was able to spend those final months with her.

When we read these Scriptures, I can imagine myself walking away from those boats like Simon did, feeling frustrated and defeated. Having worked and chased after something that I thought was where I was supposed to be. Then standing off to the side, rinsing away my frustration, cleaning up the mess of defeat and disappointment.

I think if we are all honest, we have each been here at one point in our lives. Feeling like we are out at sea, drifting and not knowing what is next, while trying to control our next move. This is where I feel like God is calling us to surrender.

In our hearts:
He is calling us to surrender our plan.
Where in your life do you have doubts, or where are you resistant to relinquishing control you do not have?
Where do you need to look back at your boat and let God step in?

In our souls:
How does this Scripture reveal Jesus’ character to you? When you think about what He saw, empty boats on the shore and defeated fishermen washing up, He decides to step in, literally, and continue to teach them.

With His strength:
Surrendering your plan requires leaving what you thought would happen behind. It is an insanely bold act of faith to walk away from what you thought life would be like and embrace what it can be. Because I promise you, His plan is so much greater than anything you could have dreamed up.

As you start your week, I challenge you to think about the empty boats you have brought back to shore. The times you have felt defeated, where your plan did not work out the way you thought it would. Reflect on how God has used those empty moments for a bigger purpose and a better plan.

I imagine when Jesus saw those fishermen, He felt empathy for them. He felt their frustration and pain, and I know He has felt the same for you. Let Him step into your boat and guide you back to the plan He has for you.