- 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. | 
