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"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."

Psalm 37:7

During yesterday's Discipleship Devotional, I wrote about the importance of knowing when and when not to make decisions. I mentioned that I was personally wrestling with a decision I had to make, so instead of making that decision while emotional, I did the best thing: I prayed to God and sought His guidance. The same day I prayed (yesterday), I received the answer from God. I did not expect the answer that quickly because I realized that God answers prayers in accordance with His will and timing. This time, He responded quickly, and because of His answer, I was able to make my decision —a decision based on spirit and intellect, not on how I felt emotionally. When I sat aside how I felt emotionally, I was able to remove pride from the equation. 

If you are still wrestling with a decision you must make, know that God can and will do for you what He's done so many times for me. Sometimes we have to get our emotions in check and set our pride aside. There are things in life that are too big for you or me to handle alone. Yes, there are times when you will have to ask for help, even when you really don't want it, because you may be accustomed to handling everything on your own. Remember, you, too, may have to surrender to God by following His direction and letting Him have His way in your life. That's not a bad thing; it's a good thing, but for it to be good, you may have to do things you really are not used to doing, like wrestling with your own self-reliance, and reminding yourself that no man/woman is an island to him/herself. Remember, we are not only independent, but interdependent, which means we need one another. 

Finds.Life.Church shares three practical ways to surrender to God every day fully:

1. Decide before Your Feet Hit the Ground - Decide what? Decide to surrender to God's will and direction even when you don't like His instructions or the circumstances you're facing.  

2. Set Reminders - It's not a question of if something unexpected will happen during your day; it's a question of when. Before life happens, set up a few reminders ahead of time, so that you're ready to ask God to take control. Reminders, such as your favorite Bible verses, today's Discipleship Devotional, and other ideas. 

3. Keep Going - Surrendering takes practice, mainly when you are accustomed to having things together. It's not about being perfect, because perfection is not attainable in this life. Still, it is about maintaining a close relationship with God —a relationship so close that, no matter what happens today, you can trust Him and surrender to Him.   

As you prepare for what God has in store for you today, keep this Discipleship Devotional in your spirit, heart, and mind. Remember the words of George Mueller, who said, "There was a day when I died; died to self, my opinions, preferences, tastes and will; died to the world, its approval or censure; died to the approval or blame even of my brethren or friends; and since then I have studied only to show myself approved unto God."

Elton L. Young - Copyright (c) - All Rights Reserved