The Worst Thought – The Best Outcome

Human limitations are found commonly rooted in the lack of agency to decide and do what must be done. There is one word that transforms all of life: surrender.

But it depends on how we surrender and what to. Wisdom is the difference.

Surrender, ordinarily, as far as the world can gauge, is the worst thought a human being can think. Why would we want to surrender our will when our will is the only thing we have control over? Yet, our will get us into more trouble than it’s often worth. Our will lacks diligence, it is undisciplined, and generally wants to take the short route every time.

Our will is selfish. But God’s will is holy; it’s absolutely supreme.

When we surrender our will, and not just in thought and action, but the very motive of control itself, we find ourselves in freedom – we are free from the constraint of needing to control what we think we control, but don’t actually, ever.

Surrender for the Only Freedom Available

The gospel paradox amounts to this: the only freedom available requires surrender.

The world cannot understand this, and far too many Christians are perplexed by what Christ actually requires: pick up your cross and follow me. They see only the requirement and not what God offers in return, which makes any surrender we offer pale into insignificance so far as personal cost is concerned.

The worst thought – to surrender our will and desire God’s – no matter what – brings the best outcome – genuine spiritual freedom.

Even by what we think and how we think, considering how insignificant many aspects of life really are, gives us perspective regarding the power experienced in a humble, nonchalant, willing surrender. We don’t need to wrangle with the world and have our own way, as if God requires us to fight for him. And God is not necessarily fighting for us every battle, either.

When we let the world be as it is, then we have the capacity to jump over the world, including every pathetic barrier put in our way.

The more we can learn to surrender, when we would normally cling on, the more we will experience this peace that transcends understanding.

When things in life become more important than what they really are we are advised to take a close look at ourselves. Are we surrendering our freedom because we refuse to surrender? We are making life harder than it needs to be.

The simpler our perspective the more dynamic we are, because petty things don’t bear an unworthy concern.

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We surrender our freedom because we refuse to surrender. To surrender might be the worst thought, but it always leads to the best outcome: God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

© 2014 S. J. Wickham.