A Prayer to Surrender
By Victoria Riollano
"Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." - Psalm 139:16
I was the child who needed her way in every situation. Growing up as an only child for twelve years came with a great advantage; I learned quickly that I was my mother’s center of attention. With great ease, I could bat my eyes at the grocery store counter for a beloved piece of candy or release a tear for any situation and guarantee my mother would relent to my request. Having my way turned into a determination that transcended every situation into adulthood. If I couldn’t get it, I would figure out how to get it no matter how much work, begging, or overanalyzing it took. On one hand, this created a sense of resiliency, but on another, I quickly found that my urge to control would become a hindrance.
In fact, this need to control every scenario was the opposite of what God would want for my life. For it's in the place of needing to control the outcome that my heart was fooled into believing that I didn’t need God at all. Yet, the more I have walked with the Lord, the more He has taught me the beauty of allowing Him to have the final say and direct my life.
In Psalm 139, the Bible says that He knew the days of my life and recorded them before I had even breathed my first breath. He knew what was best for me, more than I certainly knew for myself. Yet, it took many hard moments, such as being a military spouse and being states from home and my daughter being diagnosed with epilepsy, to realize that there were so many things I couldn’t control. Instead of relying on my wit, I needed to truly learn the beauty of trusting in the Lord.
Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us of this truth, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
I love this verse because we have our end of the bargain, and the Lord does the rest. Our role is to trust in the Lord. In doing so, we know that His plans for us are good and to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). From there, we have to make a choice to not allow our earthly understanding to overhaul the knowledge of His infinite wisdom. On our best day, we couldn’t make a choice that would supersede God’s vast knowledge. And our last course of action is to submit my ways to Him. When we do this, my friends, certainly He will make our paths straight. He will ensure that we no longer have to carry the burden of being in control or having our way. His way is always the best.
Let’s pray.
Father, I thank you that you know what is best for me. You know all the days you have planned for me. Help me to walk in them and not be like the entitled child insisting on my way. Help me to fully submit to your will and allow you to take the lead. I trust you and look forward to walking down the path you have for me. I relinquish control today. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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Originally published Saturday, 21 October 2023.
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