Surrender
by Christine E. Buckingham, LCPC, NCC, MA

"So, how does this surrender thing work?", some of you have asked me during our on-line LIFL web chats. "Isn't that the same thing as just giving up? No, that's not what it means at all. Surrender is accepting the reality that if we are to change, then we have to surrender to the One who is able to change us. Surrender means surrendering to reality - accepting the truth that the choices we make have consequences. We cannot suspend the laws of the universe just because we don't like them. If you consume more calories than your body requires, you will gain weight no matter how unfair it seems.

If you are familiar with Twelve Step programs, this will sound like Step One: Admitting that we are powerless. Powerless is how you feel when you have vowed never to drive into the drive thru again, yet you did it again. Worse yet, when the voice on the speaker asked if you wanted a combo, you said yes, and then, you super-sized it. Now, not only do you feel the big bloat coming on, but you're beating yourself up with how bad you are. And trying to get rid of that feeling of being bad is what fuels emotional eating.

We don't have the equipment to get rid of these bad feelings. They are designed to take us to Jesus so that HE can take them away. His method is always the same: he asks us to be honest with him about what we have done and admit our failure and our need for him.

The act of surrender is to look at ourselves in our moment of failure the way Jesus does. He sees us in our weakness and in our powerlessness and then he does the most amazing thing: He doesn't avert his eyes, nor, does he withdraw his love. He loves us just as we are.

Let him love you in your failure. Don't run from him. Run to him. Accept his love and let him give you a new start - this very moment.

You are not alone. Come join our weekly on line chats and share the joys and the agonies of this journey called life. God is cheering for you! And so are we!

Chris is a New Life Ministries network counselor who is a group facilitator for "Lose it for Life", who along with Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill and several others hosts New Life's weekly "Lose it for Life" web chat. She also writes articles for New Life web site.