I love when questions come in twos.... it immediately makes you feel far less alone!
- How do I go from believing in Christ to actually following Christ?
- What is the main difference between believing and following?
Thank you for asking!
Friends, you are looking to gain an understanding of the difference between salvation and surrender.... a tall question that every Christian should ask of themselves, daily. Some days I live saved, other days I live surrendered..... there is a very big difference.
Salvation is sweet and simple.
Surrender is deep and difficult.
Believers in Christ have taken the step of salvation.
It is a one time event.... the moment in which we choose to make Jesus the Lord of our lives, the moment in which our names are penned into the most important book ever written for entry into glorious eternal life, it is incredibly beautiful, incredibly sweet and simple, it is the necessary foundation and for the Christian walk, and
Most would agree that this was the most important moment of their lives.
I believe Jesus would say the same thing,
....until the moment that you believe.
After that moment, I believe that He is far more interested in our surrender.
Unlike salvation, it has to happen over, and over, and over again. And it is NOT natural.
I believe that salvation is as much natural as divine. There is need within us designed to feel empty and incomplete, and God pursues that void in our hearts because His passion is to take residency within. We are designed with salvation in mind. And while life is best lived fully surrendered, I do not think it is natural for mankind.
Think about it like this:
When you are a parent of a little one, they believe that you will save them from any trouble, danger, or mess they become entangled in. However, the more that child grows the less they believe that they need your help, and they try to go their own way. It must happen in order to bring about maturity, but the fact that you could still help them has never changed. You want to save them and make it better, but at some point their own choice is a very real factor. It is very special to have your child melt into your arms when they are little. Although it is incredibly sweet, it is no where near as special as when they CHOOSE to return to your arms as they grow.
Why?
Because as they grow, it requires surrender.... a moment of acknowledging their own fault, responsibility, or sin in a matter. When your child is young you are the center of all their affections and attention... However as that young child grows there are other things pulling for their attention and affection, many distractions and much busyness.... Now think about that same grown child finally realizing that they had been going in the wrong direction. They finally give in and muster up an " I blew it, mom... you were right...." or perhaps a "I need your help to get out of this mess I've made...."moment.
That, to me, is what I believe my own surrender feels like to Jesus.
One is sweet, the other is deep.
God designed family to teach us about our need for Him... for both salvation (needing saved) and surrender (needing saved again from the consequences of doing it my own way). He's not going to force me to surrender, but He delights when I do... over and over and over again.
As sweet as the moment of my salvation was when I first ran into His arms, the moments of surrender that we have shared mean SO much more. Whether it is every day simply choosing to live to for Him over myself, or the releasing a specific area of life that I was doing my own way, or yielding to those nudges the Spirit gives, or learning more about doing life God's way... He delights in our surrender.
Friends, this same God is still pursing your heart today. He is the loving Father who wants to save you.... over and over and over again. He wants to take up more room, in more areas. He wants to be Lord of ALL of it. The broken parts, the old parts, the new parts. But it requires surrender....
Beautiful plan, beautiful God.
Church, let's let our Savior delight in His people this Easter as we surrender more to Him.....
Parents, most of us are either thankful for, or praying for, the salvation of our kids... let's not only pray for their salvation, but for their surrender as well.
A saved child is protected, a surrendered child is powerful.
Heavenly Father,
You are God, and I am not. Your way is perfect, mine is not. Help me to have eyes to see the areas of my life that need to get in step with your plans for me. Thank you for wanting all of me, help me to surrender all to You. Please Lord, pursue my children to live their lives fully surrendered to you, and show me how to model a life fully dependent on You.
In the name of Jesus, who surrendered all,
Amen.
