Surrender

Surrender our will to God, at least because He is our heavenly Father. He loves us and He knows much more than us. Our self-centeredness and selfish desires lead to numerous problems and constant clashes.
 
Listen to Christ: Deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him. Matthew 16:24-25; Luke 9:23. Do not focus on getting our way or satisfying our desires. Follow Christ instead. Note that this is not a one-time deal. Do this daily because we regularly take back control.
 
Surrendering to God does not make us robots. Abraham, Peter, and Paul were not robots. God created us as joyful, creative, and intelligent people. We surrender at least because His will is much better than ours.
 
Surrendering to God does not make us cowards. Instead, by surrendering to God and trusting His sovereignty, we do not depend on money, appearance, or other’s approval for our worth. Our peace does not depend on our external circumstances. Surrendering to God makes us stronger.
 
May be due to our ego, surrendering is challenging. Even Christ experienced difficulties. Though Christ considered doing the will of His Father as His food, right before crucifixion Christ struggled to follow the path the Father had suggested for Him. Yet finally Christ prayed, “[N]ot my will, but yours be done.” Then an angel came to strengthen Him. John 4:34. Luke 22:42-43.
 
As addicts will tell us, just trying harder, by itself, may not be able to alter deep habits. We probably have experienced the inner battle of not able to do what we should, and doing what we should not. Romans 7:15, 18.
 
Fortunately, God can change us if we commit to change. God gave Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector, the power to become the poster boy for generosity. Luke 19:1-2. God changed the timid Simon to the courageous Peter. God changed the killer of Christians, Saul, into the first evangelist for gentiles, Paul. Just as Paul said, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Phil 4:13.
 
Accept we cannot surrender our will entirely based on our own strength. Change what we can and leave the rest to God. Through Him, we can do it.
 
“Our Father in heaven … your will be done.” Matthew 6:9-10.
 
Summarized from a John Ortberg’s sermon.
https://menlo.church/series/the-way#/modal/message/5506/mlo

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降服于上帝
 
我们将自己的意志降服于上帝，因为祂是我們在天上的父。祂爱我們, 祂比我们知道得更多。我们的自我中心和私欲带给我们无数的问题和不断的冲突。
 
我们必须聆听基督的声音，舍弃自己，每天背起我们的十字架来跟随祂 （马太福音16：24-25; 路加福音9:23）。不要专注于自己意志或满足自己的欲望，而是要跟随基督。这並不是一次的交易，而是每天的操练，因为我们会很容易不知不觉地又收回控制权。
 
降服于上帝并不意味着我们成为机器人。亚伯拉罕，彼得和保罗都不是机器人。 上帝创造的我们，是有快乐，有创造力, 聪明而且智慧的人。我们降服是因为祂的旨意远比我们的更好。
 
降服于上帝不会使我们成为胆怯的人。相反地，通过顺服神，相信祂的主权, 我们的价值不再依靠金钱，外貌或其他人对我们的认可。我们的平安不再取决于我们外在的境况。降服于上帝使我们更加坚强。
 
降服是一条挑战的路。甚至基督也遇到了困难。尽管基督以跟随天父的旨意如同祂的食物，但在被钉十字架之前，要遵循天父为祂选择的道路时，基督依然有挣扎。然而到最后，基督祈祷说：“不要成就我的意思，只要成就你的意思。”此后，一位天使来加添了基督的力量（约翰福音4:34；路加福音22：42-43）。
 
正如成瘾者会告诉我们，仅靠自己加倍努力也可能无法改变不良嗜好。 我们也可能虽然经历过内心的斗争，却不能做应做的事,反而做了不该做的（罗马书7:15，18）。
 
幸运的是，如果我们定意要改变，上帝就能改变我们。上帝使稅吏長撒該变成了慷慨的榜样 （路加福音 19：1-2）。上帝使胆小的西蒙变成了勇敢的彼得。上帝将基督徒杀手扫罗变成了第一位外邦宣教士保罗。正如保罗所说：“我靠着那加給我力量的，凡事都能做”（腓立比书4:13）。
 
我们不能全然依靠自己的力量降服于上帝，这是我们必须接受的事实。让我们改变自己能改变的，将其余的交给上帝。靠着祂, 我们就能降服于祂。
 
“我們在天上的父 … 願你的旨意行在地上， 如同行在天上” （马太福音6:9-10）。