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All of a sudden your last resort sounds like a very good idea.
…
How ironic. You spend your whole life resisting the notion that there’s someone out there smarter than you, and then all of a sudden you’re relieved to know it’s true. All of a sudden, you’re not too proud to ask for help.
That’s what it means to surrender to God.
—Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love
“A certain amount of desperation is usually necessary before we’re ready for God,” writes Marianne Williamson. Indeed, spiritual surrender is sometimes hard for us. In a control fascinated culture, spiritual surrender, even in Christianity, is not in fad. We sing and preach about the Christ who manifested weakness and found, through that humbleness, the way to Life, but we are often too proud to show our weakness as he showed weakness. We speak of the humiliation of Christ, but we do all we can to appear strong, in control, to have it all together. Our prideful ego is tied in with looking strong and a good manager of the affairs of our lives. Surrender, true and spiritual surrender, has little to no place in such a way of living.
The typical human struggles truly to accept that he cannot work out his own problems, that there is a Being more intelligent and able to do quite well without human interference. The person may pray to God, speaking of needing help and giving the problem to God, but stands up and walks away holding it tightly.
Desperation consequent of our seeking to manage and control the circumstances of our lives is a gift, an opening to another, and free way to live our lives. We can be released from the life of necessity into the life of fullness of love, joy, and peace.
While other persons are immersed in the struggle to survive, we find ourselves able to relax and daily trust that this moment is the moment, and we know that we are not in control, indeed, we no longer want control. Here, we do not simply speak of God being present or powerful, we have moved from religious thought, often unconsciously voiced in an adopted piety of trust, to a radical abandonment in trust of God. Effectively, we say, “I’ve made enough of a mess. I’m wearied with trying to make it all work out. I’m tired of feeling it is all up to me. Here, God, I want to give you a chance to take over. Teach me how to be with all this. Teach me to thrive in love, joy, and peace. Deliver me from the tyranny of managing my life and show me how to live my life surrendered to your Love and Grace, always.”
God gives us spiritual presences, call them angels if you will. These beings are ready to help us, waiting for us to say “Yes.” When we say “Yes” in surrender to God, resources are given us that we had before not seen, events change in subtle ways, insights are given us, and situations come together for our best.
I invite you to say the following prayer each morning for a week.
Dear God,
I give this day to you, the fruit of my work and the longings of my heart. I place my dear loved ones, likewise into your care, trusting them with you. Into your hands I place all my questions, on your shoulders I place all my burdens. I pray for all peoples and for myself that we will return to love. May I, today, take compassionate attention into every situation, finding my deepest desires met through giving love to meet the deepest desires of other persons. Bring to me what resources I need today to fulfill your will. I surrender all control, all manipulation, and pray only to manifest love. Today, I trust you to give me peace and contentment in all I do, say, and with everyone I meet.
Amen.
Spiritual Exercise
Before a lit candle, lie down with arms and legs stretched out on the floor. Turn your face to one side and rest it on the floor. Let this be a wordless, embodied prayer of abandonment of your whole self, your entire life, to God.
OneLife Ministries is a pastoral outreach and nurture ministry of the First United Methodist Church, Fort Meade, FL. For Spiritual Direction, Pastoral Counseling, spiritual formation workshops, Christian meditation retreats, or more information about OneLife, write Rev. Dr. Brian K. Wilcox at briankwilcox@comcast.net.
Brian's book of mystical love poetry, An Ache for Union, can be ordered through major bookdealers.
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