Surrender

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If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.

Matthew 10:39 CEV

Judson Van DeVenter struggled with a decision. Should he follow his dream to become a famous artist or give it up to become a minister? He wavered for five years, never at peace and wondering what to do. Then, at a church revival it became clear. Van DeVenter surrendered his decision to God. "It was then that a new day was ushered into my life," he said.

God's plan sent him into active Christian service and in a way that he had not imagined. In his own words: "God had hidden a song in my heart, and touching a tender chord, He caused me to sing." His new God-given talent led Van DeVenter to write the well-known hymn "I Surrender All."

Practice surrendering your decisions to God. Surrender leads to a peaceful heart in alignment with His will.

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Write God's Word on Your Heart Today

The apostle Paul said, "With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God" (Colossians 3:16 CEV). You might choose to include Judson Van DeVenter's song "I Surrender All" in your worship time today. If you are not familiar with the melody, you can find it through an online search. Sing the first verse and refrain.

All to Jesus I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

Refrain:
I surrender all,
I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
— Judson W. Van DeVenter, 1896

It takes work to surrender all aspects of your life to God, but when you learn to allow Him to control your heart, He will lead you into a brand-new day, just as He did Judson Van DeVenter. Practice surrender by memorizing these two verses and repeating them every morning:

With all your heart you must trust the LORD and not your own judgment. Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow.

Proverbs 3:5–6 CEV

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.

Psalm 37:7 NIV

End with this prayer:

Dear God, help me to surrender every part of my life to You. Fill my heart with Your presence and lead me according to Your will. Amen.

Faith

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But when Peter saw how strong the wind was, he was afraid and started sinking. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted. Right away, Jesus reached out his hand. He helped Peter up and said, "You surely don't have much faith. Why do you doubt?"

Matthew 14:30–31 CEV

Are you a perfect wife, mother, daughter, or friend? Are you perfect at whatever you set out to do? Perfection is impossible. No one is perfect except God, and He is able to perfectly handle whatever you entrust to Him.

Instead of working hard at being perfect, work harder at building your faith. Faith is the foundation on which you build hope. With faith, you say to God, "I believe that all things are possible through You." Stand on your faith and allow God to work. All He asks is that you try. If you doubt and begin to sink like Peter did, be assured that God is ready to take your hand and help you get up.

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Write God's Word on Your Heart Today

Think about the little things in life that you accept by faith: that an order you placed will be ready when you arrive to pick it up or that your car will start tomorrow morning. If you have faith in these everyday things, then surely you can have faith in God.

The Bible defines faith as "confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1 NIV). Faith begins by believing that God is real, that He is good, and that He wants His best for us. The Bible teaches in Hebrews 11:6, "Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

Can you name people from the Bible who acted by faith? Read about God's most faithful followers in Hebrews 11:4–39.

A powerful element of faith is trusting in God's Word. Write the following verses on index cards, commit them to memory, and rely on them whenever your faith wears thin.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV

"Blessed are those who believe without seeing me."

John 20:29 NLT

Doubt

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[Jesus] said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?"

Luke 24:38 NIV

As Jennifer's wedding approached, stress over-whelmed her — stress with a healthy dose of doubt. "I doubt that everything will be done on time!" she said. Between the cake, the caterer, the hall, and the decorations, all the deadlines made Jennifer wonder why she hadn't planned to elope.

Satan enjoys infusing the best-laid plans with doubt. Even on that most joyous occasion when Jesus rose from the grave, doubt seized His disciples. Had it really happened? Was Jesus alive? Satan planted a seed of doubt, hoping that it would grow inside their hearts. But Jesus knew better. He was well aware that humans are prone to doubt. So He showed up where His disciples had gathered and proved to them that it was He.

When worry and doubt fill your mind, you can count on this: Jesus will show up. He is real and willing to help you. Trust Him completely, and watch the doubt melt away.

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Write God's Word on Your Heart Today

Some people doubt everything about God, from His very existence to His ability to do absolutely anything. Nothing is beyond God's power, but still they doubt. Doubt has teased humans from the beginning. When studying the Bible, we learn that Sarah and Abraham laughed at God's promise to give them a child. Gideon tested God by asking Him to perform a series of miracles to prove that He was real. Even Thomas, Jesus' faithful disciple, doubted the resurrection until he had touched the wound in his Savior's side. Doubt lurks nearby at work, home, and play. But you can be ready by memorizing these Bible verses and repeating them to yourself throughout the day.

When you get up in the morning:

I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13 NCV

During the day:

Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and...