Many of us (and with literally billions of users, don't act like you're not in this group) use social media on a regular basis to post, look at, or like pictures of ourselves, our friends, our pets, our kids, or any random object we find amusing at the moment. With the movement of posting pictures of oneself becoming so popular that we've even gotten a new word from it, selfie. But how does this selfie mentality fit into one's Christian walk? One writer shared this, "The scene of someone being on their knees before God may be one of the only selfies that can convey humility."
It's hard to only talk about me, me, me, and still be focused on God, God, God. Shifting away from this selfie culture toward surrendering to God's will is necessary for spiritual growth. We rarely think of the word surrender in any positive light. But when it comes to surrendering to God's will in our life, it is vital.
The Point: Approach prayer with humble submission to the will of God.
In the Model Prayer, Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. Matthew 6:10-11a reads, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
"Jesus came representing a kingdom totally unlike the political powers so familiar to us. Every aspect of our politics is scrutinized hour by hour to determine the popularity of our leaders and the percentage of constituents who agree with their specific policies. But God's kingdom doesn't operate by popularity polls. God isn't running for office. He is the King."
Going to God in submissive prayer signifies that we (the ones without power) know who to call on (the One with all power). And by praying to Him, we acknowledge that God's will on earth makes a tangible difference in our lives and the lives of those around us.
So why wouldn't we call out to a God with the power to change our lives for the better? Because often our will doesn't align with his. Surrendering to Him means ridding our hearts of a desire to build our own kingdoms. Most of us may be willing to give God some, but not all. We may be scared to give Him our homes, our careers, or our finances. Partial surrender is not surrender at all.
But as we learn to trust Him more, we begin to realize that whether we surrender or not, He still holds the future. James 4:13-15 reads, "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.' Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.'...Instead, you should say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.'" God's plans for us are always better than our plans for us and we must begin to pray with a much lighter grip on our goals, our dreams, and our roadmaps and place our faith in His.
So as you pray this week, evaluate your desires, your hopes, and your prayers - are the things you're praying for more focused on what you want or on what God wants? When we truly surrender our lives, we can fully embrace His plans for us.
It's hard to only talk about me, me, me, and still be focused on God, God, God. Shifting away from this selfie culture toward surrendering to God's will is necessary for spiritual growth. We rarely think of the word surrender in any positive light. But when it comes to surrendering to God's will in our life, it is vital.
The Point: Approach prayer with humble submission to the will of God.
In the Model Prayer, Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. Matthew 6:10-11a reads, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
"Jesus came representing a kingdom totally unlike the political powers so familiar to us. Every aspect of our politics is scrutinized hour by hour to determine the popularity of our leaders and the percentage of constituents who agree with their specific policies. But God's kingdom doesn't operate by popularity polls. God isn't running for office. He is the King."
Going to God in submissive prayer signifies that we (the ones without power) know who to call on (the One with all power). And by praying to Him, we acknowledge that God's will on earth makes a tangible difference in our lives and the lives of those around us.
So why wouldn't we call out to a God with the power to change our lives for the better? Because often our will doesn't align with his. Surrendering to Him means ridding our hearts of a desire to build our own kingdoms. Most of us may be willing to give God some, but not all. We may be scared to give Him our homes, our careers, or our finances. Partial surrender is not surrender at all.
But as we learn to trust Him more, we begin to realize that whether we surrender or not, He still holds the future. James 4:13-15 reads, "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.' Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.'...Instead, you should say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.'" God's plans for us are always better than our plans for us and we must begin to pray with a much lighter grip on our goals, our dreams, and our roadmaps and place our faith in His.
So as you pray this week, evaluate your desires, your hopes, and your prayers - are the things you're praying for more focused on what you want or on what God wants? When we truly surrender our lives, we can fully embrace His plans for us.
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