One of the “check points” in our lives and in Christ Centered discipling and counseling is wholehearted surrender. The page in the GFI Exchanged Life Conference notebook about this is titled “Total Commitment” and is summarized in the vital text of Romans 12:1,2: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (NKJV)

This is wholehearted aspect of the Cross in the life of the believer. The daily cross (Luke 9:23) refers to the need for daily and progressive yielding to God.[1]

British pastor and author F. B. Meyer, recalls a conversation with a Spirit-filled believer whom he admired.

[Charles Studd asked him] ‘Have you ever given yourself to Christ, for Christ to fill you?’ ‘Well,’ I said, ‘I have done so in a general way, but I don’t know that I have done so particularly.’ He said: ‘You must do it particularly also.’ I knelt down that night and thought I could give myself to Christ as easily as possible. And I gave Him an iron ring, the iron ring of my will, with all the keys of my life on it, except one little key that I kept back. And He said: ‘Are they all here?’ I said: ‘They are all there but one, the key of a tiny closet in my heart of which I must keep control.’ He said: ‘If you don’t trust Me in all, you don’t trust Me at all.’ I tried to make terms; I said: ‘Lord, I will be so devoted in everything else, but I can’t live without the contents of that closet.’ I believe, young friends, that my whole life was just hovering on the balance, and, if I had kept the key of that closet and had mistrusted Christ, He never would have trusted me with His blessed Word. He seemed to be receding from me, and I called Him back and said: ‘I am not willing, but I am willing to be made willing.’ It seemed as though He took that key out of my hand and went straight for that closet. I knew what He would find there, and He knew, too. Within a week from that time He had cleared it right out. But He filled it with something so much better! Why, what a fool I was! He wanted to take away the sham jewels to give me the real ones. He just took away the thing which was eating out my life and instead gave me Himself.

Now, that is the point I am coming to with you. You have given Him the keys, haven’t you? You have given Him your will with every key of your heart and life. It is all in His hands.” [2]

Catherine Marshall was considered “America’s most inspirational writer” by the New York Times and is best known for her novel Christy. She was also the wife of Peter Marshall (pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC and Chaplain of the United States Senate.) In her book, Adventures in Prayer, she devoted a chapter to “the prayer of relinquishment.” After testifying of how God taught her relinquishment and demonstrated its fruitfulness, she gave this prayer as a sample:

Father, for such a long time I have pleaded before You this, the deep desire of my heart:_______________. Yet the more I’ve clamored for Your help with this, the more remote You have seemed.

I confess my demanding spirit in this matter. I’ve tried suggesting to You ways my prayer could be answered. To to my shame, I’ve even bargained with You. Yet I know that trying to manipulate the Lord of the Universe is utter foolishness. No wonder my spirit is so sore and weary!

I want to trust You, Father. My spirit knows that these verities are forever trustworthy even when I feel nothing:

*That You are there. (You said, “Lo, I am with you alway.”)

*That You love me. (You said, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love.”) 6

*That You alone know what is best for me. (For in You, Lord, “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”.)

Perhaps all along, You have been waiting for me to give up self-effort. At last I want You in my life even more than want _________________. So now, by an act of my will, I relinquish this to You. I will accept Your will, whatever that may be. Thank You for counting this act of my will as the decision of the real person even when my emotions protest. I ask You to hold me true to this decisions. To You, Lord God, who alone are worthy of worship
I bend the knee with thanksgiving that this too will “work together for good.” Amen.[3]

In both Meyer’s and Marshall’s examples, surrender is considered in both general and specific terms. And this kind of surrender is included in Dr. Solomon’s “Selfer’s Prayer.”

May we model such surrender and facilitate it in ministry as God works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Phil 2:13).

– John Woodward
8/2020

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[1] https://gracenotebook.com/taking-up-your-cross-daily/

[2] https://www.path2prayer.com

[3]  Catherine Marshall, Adventures in Prayer (Fleming H. Revell, 1975) p.60
Scriptures quoted: Matthew 28:20; Jer. 31:3; Col. 2:3; Romans 8:28