God loves it when we give up.
We’ve all said, “I give up” when we feel frustrated. At those moments we want to quit jobs, marriages, or relationships with difficult people. Or maybe our “I give up” attitude is over more simple things like a repair job at home that seems impossible.
Quite a few years ago I said, “I give up” during a moment of exasperation. Right now I can’t remember what I was so perturbed about, but I’m pretty sure it involved a family member.
I wasn’t speaking my declaration to the Lord, but I heard Him whisper, “I’m so glad.”
He then proceeded to show me that the kind of giving up He delights in is when we give up on our way of doing things, our schemes to fix people, our plans to bring about a better outcome to the dilemmas in our lives. All of this is what I was caught up in.
Shortly after my “I give up” proclamation, He gave me a little song:
“I give up, Lord. I give up, Lord.
I give up, Lord all to You.
I give up my plan; my life’s in Your hands.
I give up my way; I’ll do what You say.
I give up, Lord, all to You.”
Since then that song has come back to mind again and again when I slide back into being dedicated to my plans, my schemes, my dreams instead of calling on the Lord and asking, “What do You want me to do?”
God repeatedly reminds me to stop carrying around my cares but to instead do this:
“casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 NKJV
Today I once again embrace this truth—that surrendering to the Lord and His way and will is the only path to fulfillment and peace in this life. And so I declare it once again.
I give up!
Will you join me?
