Why do some just survive and others thrive in the presence of God?
Let's get some definitions out of the way.
What does survive mean?
-> to continue to function or live
What does thrive mean?
->To grow vigorously, to gain
So there is in obvious difference between the two. Surviving, I believe, requires more striving and leads to exhaustion. Where as, thriving is more ease and naturally brings about a great harvest.
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Last Sunday this question was posed and again in my small group. "Why do some just survive and others thrive in the presence of God?" My honest answer was "I don't know". For me personally I tend to survive/ I see myself as surviving. I get up, I work, I eat, I sleep, REPEAT. I have my mental lists, mental to dos, bills, ect. And in the small group we discussed how "crazy" it is that the more you hold on to things, the more you try to have it all together, the more you realize you don't. Well during my morning walk I was thinking about this question, because honestly I didn't feel like I could answer it. WHAT IS IT that makes the difference in surviving and thriving in the presence of God? Then one word came to mind, SURRENDER.
What does it mean to surrender?
->to yield to the power or control of another
-> to give up completely or forgo
You see I can survive by going through the motions, checking off the lists, looking at what is next, but in doing this I miss the goodness of God, I miss the rest and growth he wants for me. When I am surviving I am just bouncing from one thing to the next, leading myself to a state of exhaustion. God wants me to thrive in His presence and He says to me "Lauren Surrender. Let go of what you feel like you need to do, or feel like you need to say or feel like... Let go and TRUST ME". *Side note: a few years ago the Lord reminded me that when you let go of the reins then He will take you higher. Why is this? Because when I have the reins I think I am guiding my life in the right direction of what I deem good and I have to make sure everything goes correctly. BUT, when God has the reins he takes me to higher places that I couldn't even imagine and He is in control of the direction and outcome. You see God is Good (Psalm 103:8), He brings everything to completion and wants what is best for me (Philippians 1:6). God knows something that the world doesn't know. A surrendered heart removes the striving, removes just functioning, takes away the exhaustion and brings about vigorous growth, rejuvenation, joy, rest, clarity.
You know what, surrender requires vulnerability and trust. Those who thrive in the presence of Jesus let go of their preferences, concerns, self-consciousness, ect. The extent of your surrender shows the extent of your thriving in Christ.
To be honest vulnerability is where I struggle most. BUT GOD, is so good to tell me, to show me, to guide me, to walk with me on this path of surrender. God puts his finger on places in our lives where there are idols, pride, lies so that we may be free but we must chose to walk on the path of surrender and truth. In Matthew 10: 16-22 , Jesus pointed out a place where a rich young ruler needed to surrender. The man chose to walk away from the invitation, he didn't want to let go. Maybe he feared what would become of him, maybe he felt his identity was in the things he owned. The problem though is that he wouldn't surrender all of himself to Jesus, he didn't trust Jesus enough to provide all that he needs. I don't want to be that way, I want to give Jesus all that I have and surrender to Him continually.
Luke 9:23~ If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.
God doesn't just want me on Sunday, or morning devotion. He wants my every step, my every being, every thought to be set on Him.
1 John 2: 5-6~ But the love of God will be perfected within the one who obeys God's Word. We can be sure that we truly come to live in intimacy with God, not just by saying, " I am intimate with God" but by walking in the footsteps of Jesus.
LISTEN: Only Jesus
