Surrendering Dreams & Desires

In surrender’s gentle heart,
Dreams and desires we impart,
Loose grip on all we hope to be,
Open heart, His will decree.

In yielding to His perfect way,
Brighter horizons light our day,
With open hearts, we humbly bow,
Loose grip, in trust, His love endow.

Release the plans that we conceive,
In His embrace, we trust, believe,
Loose grip on self, our dreams release,
Open heart, His joy increase.

Through faith’s journey, we find grace,
In letting go, we seek His face,
With open hearts, His peace descends,
Loose grip, His purpose comprehends.

So as we yield with hands held wide,
In God’s embrace, we shall abide,
Loose grip, let go, His love imparts,
Open heart, in surrender starts.

“The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven’t yet come to the end of themselves. We’re still trying to give orders, and interfering with God’s work within us.”
A. W. Tozer

I beheld a vivid image: A flourishing garden sanctuary of vibrant foliage, where a luxuriant layer of mulch blankets the garden. The mulch is composed of fallen leaves, fruits, and remnants from plants and trees. Upon the ground, it undergoes a graceful decay, permeating the soil with nourishment. At that moment, a profound realization took root within me: just as in the garden, certain dreams, desires, and callings must wither away, making space for divine resurrection. Some aspirations, once vibrant and promising, have usurped the throne that rightfully belongs to God. Thus, when we humbly lay aside these misplaced obsessions and allow them to perish, a transformative process unfolds. From the decay of these relinquished passions, new life emerges. It is then that divine sustenance flows, and God breathes life into the endeavors that align with His will. The last three blogs, have led us to what we believe God is strongly highlighting in the area of surrender, specifically the dreams, desires, and callings we hold dear. In this blog, we will explore the concept of surrendering these to God’s transformative power, allowing Him to raise up what is of Him. Together, we will embark on a journey uncovering the beauty of surrender and the renewal it brings.

Summary of Previous Blogs
Unmasking the Idols of the Heart explores the presence of modern idols in our lives that compete with our devotion to God. These idols, which can take various forms such as material possessions, relationships, ambitions, ideologies, or self-image, captivate our affections and hinder our relationship with God. The blog emphasizes the deceptive nature of idols, how they fail to provide true fulfillment and blind us to the abundant life intended for us. It also highlights the consequences of idolatry, such as distancing ourselves from God’s presence and forfeiting blessings. The blog encourages recognizing and dismantling idols by examining our hearts, repenting, and prioritizing God above all else. Cultivating a heart for God involves surrendering to Him, seeking His presence, studying His Word, and nurturing a vibrant prayer life. By doing so, we can align ourselves with God’s purpose and experience true worship and devotion.

Cultivating Spiritual Growth highlights hindrances to spiritual growth, such as complacency, self-reliance, and hidden issues. It references the story of Aaron and Miriam’s jealousy of Moses’ authority and the subtle hindrances represented by “little foxes” that can undermine our faith. The blog emphasizes the importance of seeking God, repentance, and forgiveness in addressing these hindrances. It also discusses the dangers of complacency and self-reliance, using the example of King Saul. The post concludes with the “Cycle of Growth,” which involves trusting in the Lord, aligning our lives with His lordship, and experiencing transformation and growth.

Balancing Faith and Surrender explores the concept of “faith fatigue,” which occurs when we hold tightly to our personal faith and the fulfillment of what we stepped out in faith for rather than relying on God’s leading and timing. The blog emphasizes the importance of surrender and radical obedience to God’s plan. It encourages discerning God’s will through prayer, studying His Word, and cultivating a surrendered heart. Ultimately, it calls for a balanced approach to faith, where we trust in God’s timing and direction, releasing our agendas, and living in radical obedience to His will.

The Mulch of Renewal: Nourishment for Spiritual Growth
We all have our unique paths, challenges, timelines for personal development, and a personal walk with Jesus. Nevertheless, there is an emphasis in God for us to surrender even more to Him and to hold loosely the promises, desires, dreams, and calling God has given to us. When those promises, desires, and dreams become the main focus, we lose sight of what is even more important: God. Psalm 92:12-14 beautifully portrays the growth and flourishing of the righteous, declaring, “The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green.” To bear fruit throughout our lives means we must be rooted in Him and just as the mulch nourishes the garden, surrendering our dreams and desires to God brings renewal and nourishment to our spiritual lives. As we release our dreams and desires to God, to focus on Him first and foremost, He sustains us and brings forth new growth in our lives. Isaiah 43:19 assures us that God is constantly doing new things, making a way even in the wilderness, and through surrender, we allow Him to cultivate newness and nourishment in our spiritual journey. As we surrender to Him, He is faithful to complete the work He began.

Laying Aside Distractions: Focusing on God’s Sovereignty
At times, our dreams, desires, and callings may inadvertently vie for attention with God, diverting our focus and dedication from His sovereign presence in our lives. Frequently, we may not even be consciously aware of this diversion of focus as it is a subtle fade, firmly rooted in the purpose of obediently pursuing God’s intended path for our lives. In such instances, it becomes imperative to humbly place all our dreams, yearnings, anticipations, and commitments at His feet, redirecting our primary focus toward Him. As we delve into Matthew 6:33, we uncover its wisdom: Seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, resting our trust in His provision for our needs. A poignant illustration of this abandonment can be found in Philippians 3:7-9, where Paul’s resolve to relinquish his achievements and longings: “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (ESV). Through surrendering our dreams and desires, we forge a deeper communion with God, harmonizing or realigning ourselves with His impeccable will.

The Process of Death and Resurrection: God’s Redemptive Work
Similar to plants needing parts to die and decompose to provide nourishment for new growth, some dreams, desires, and callings need to be laid down and go through a process of death and resurrection for God’s work in us to take place. In John 12:24, Jesus explains, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Surrendering our dreams and desires to God’s hands, and allowing them to die, opens the way for His power to work in our lives. Romans 6:4 further illustrates this process, stating, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Although this specific verse is referencing salvation, we believe there is a principle at work that extends beyond salvation: Through dying to self (Luke 9:23) and surrendering to God, we experience the transformative power of His resurrection even to things which we have surrendered or callings we thought lost to us.

God’s Redemptive Plan: Resurrecting What Is of Him
Jeremiah 29:11 assures us of God’s redemptive plan, stating, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God’s plans for our lives are greater and more fulfilling than our own dreams and desires. As we surrender our dreams and desires to God, allowing them to die in us, He redeems and raises up what is of Him. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that He has prepared in advance for us to do. When we release our desires to Him, He resurrects and aligns them with His perfect plan, allowing us to walk in His ordained purpose.

Loose Grip, Open Heart
The essence lies in avoiding the tight grip on dreams, desires, and even promises—be they from God—to the extent that we inadvertently shut out the Spirit’s guidance and direction. Our determination to fulfill our calling might inadvertently cloud our vision, fostering rigidity and obstructing receptiveness to His leading. Just as the mulch nourishes the garden, surrendering our dreams, desires, and callings to God brings renewal and nourishment to our spiritual lives. Through surrender, we let go of distractions and refocus our attention on God’s sovereignty. In the process of death and resurrection, God’s redemptive work takes place, aligning our hearts with His perfect plan. As we trust in His faithfulness, He raises up what is of Him, surpassing our limited visions. May we have the courage to release what we hold dear and surrender to God’s transformative power. In surrender, we find true nourishment, fulfillment, and intimacy with our loving Heavenly Father. Let us allow our dreams and desires to be resurrected according to His will, so that we may bear fruit for His glory and experience the abundant life He has prepared for us. Remember, knowledge becomes truly powerful when it shapes our actions and decisions. So, be encouraged to take a moment to introspect and reflect on how we can integrate these profound insights into our lives and allow God to guide us toward positive change and growth. May we fulfill God’s purposes in a loose grip and open heart.