I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
–Romans 12:1
As a pastor, people will often come to me when they’re facing the fires of life. I’m talking about those who are sick, people with diseases, men and women with heartaches and family burdens. But do you know one thing I’ve noticed? There’s a glorious difference in how a faithful Christian suffers.
I visited a man in the hospital who had a very aggressive form of cancer. He had been through surgery after surgery trying to get ahead of it. I walked in, not knowing what to expect him to say. But he told me, “Pastor, I’m grateful for this chance to be a stronger and more powerful witness for Jesus Christ.”
It’s that kind of faith that will get us through suffering. It’s the kind of faith that says, “God, take my life and do what You want with it as long as it brings You glory.” That’s a scary prayer to pray. But ironically, it’s also the safest because you’re never in a more secure place than when you’ve completely surrendered to Christ.
Is anything keeping you from praying that prayer today? Is it anxiety or fear of losing control? God is much more competent than anyone to protect you. So surrender fully to Him today, knowing that even when you suffer, He loves you and will keep you safe under His wings!
SURRENDER FULLY FOR GOD’S GLORY, AND TRUST THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOU FACE, HE’LL NEVER LEAVE YOU UNGUARDED.
