Allowing Myself to Surrender to the Spirit
By Jessica Brodie
Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? I usually do, and this year one of mine is to spend time every morning stretching. I use videos to help me (otherwise my mind wanders and I get bored!), and one of my favorites is a woman with a super-soothing voice who’s a wonderful encourager.
“Remember,” she reminded me this morning, “stretching is not about pushing or forcing. It’s about allowing.”
Allowing. That word resonates with me.
I’ve shared before I’m a recovering a type-A, determined, over-achieving perfectionist. I have a hard time relaxing, though I’m trying to learn, and when I do something, I give it my all.
But sometimes, when we push something that’s not ready, we can create new problems. With stretching, if your muscle is tight and you push too hard, you can cause a strain or injury. Instead, you need to go slow and steady, releasing and gently allowing, and over time your muscle will cooperate and lengthen. Flexibility increases. When I surrender and allow myself to relax into a stretch, the stretch gets deeper naturally, not because I’m forcing it but because it’s ready.
It reminds me a lot of what happens when we surrender and allow Christ to reign in our lives and the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts.
The Holy Spirit isn’t just some force or mystical presence but a person—part of the triune God. The Holy Spirit is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son and is of the same essence. Yet he is also distinct from them.
The Bible tells us the Holy Spirit lives in all of us who are believers. As 1 Corinthians 3:16 tells us, “Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?” (ESV). Those of us who are believers in Christ as our savior are sealed with the Holy Spirit.
But make no mistake—the Holy Spirit is no docile pushover, no puff of smoke who can be manipulated or forced into doing anything. He is God, part of the holy trinity! He makes decisions for us and intercedes for us, guiding and helping us fulfill God’s plan. His power leads, convicts, teaches, and equips us all to do what is needed.
We don’t control the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who controls us—if we allow him that access.
When we are walking in true alignment with God’s will, faithful and obedient, our hearts and minds become fully open to the Holy Spirit. We allow him to move and work his powerful ways in us as instruments of God. We surrender to his will and release our own selfish desires.
Just as I need to allow my muscles to surrender and release when I stretch, I need to allow my soul to surrender and release fully to the movement of the Holy Spirit in me. We all do.
This week, pray with me that we can all loosen the self-centered grasp we have on life and instead open ourselves to whatever it is God wants to do with us.
Remember: It’s all about bringing his glory here on earth.
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