God himself does not give answers. He gives himself. -Frederick Buechner
Giving Up – The Surrender Series – Part 3
Go to PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4
In Luke 11, Jesus said: “If imperfect parents know how to lovingly take care of their children and give them what they need, how much more will the perfect heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit’s fullness when his children ask him.” Luke 11:11-13 TPT
Richard Rohr says, “The answer to every prayer is the same: it’s the gift of the Holy Spirit. Now that might not be healing Grandma instantly. But where there is an influx of Spirit, God has answered the prayer.”
Buechner said: “God himself does not give answers. He gives himself.”
For us modernists who are used to getting things instantly, or are so desperate for answers and certainty, or can Google and access information in seconds, this idea around surrender and prayer can be daunting. Doesn’t God hear individual prayers? Can’t he answer them? Won’t he give me what I ask for?
Here’s the thing. I believe God hears every single prayer. All of them. From everyone. He absorbs them into himself. I believe God loves us all and hates our suffering more than we can imagine. But I know people who have prayed for healing, provision, answers, and more, and have received none of the specific things they have asked for. I know people who deserve the world and more but never seem to be able to catch a break. I know others who have experienced miraculous healing, provision, and wonders…
What’s the deal with that?
I don’t know.
But I do know that in every prayer, God is present.
He is present with us, in us, and to us.
At first, this idea of God’s “answer may” seem like a cop-out, like giving up. A surrender not to freedom, but to confusion. Shouldn’t we fight? Be fervent? Storm heaven? Stand up? Declare and proclaim and demand?
But let it sit with you a while. If you need a black and white rule as to why God answers some prayers, you will also need to acknowledge the other side: why God doesn’t seem to answer other prayers.
Surrender to his presence rather than persist for evidence. Let Spirit be present in you and with you through it all. What first seems like a giving up, will become a “letting go,” a grand awakening, and a beautiful “finding.”
Peace in chaos. Wisdom in hardship. Rest in trouble.
This is surrender at its most fluid. It’s not a loss, it’s not giving up or caving in, or a casting away. It’s the decision to love, trust and accept the influx of Spirit.
Go to Part 4 – To Let Go »
Written by Lizzy Milani
[font_awesome link=”https://www.instagram.com/lizzy.milani/” icon=”instagram” color=”000″ size=”16px” margin_right=”” margin_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=””] lizzy.milani [font_awesome link=”https://www.twitter.com/lizzymilani/” icon=”twitter” color=”000″ size=”16px” margin_right=”” margin_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=””] lizzymilani
[vcex_image_grid columns=”3″ pagination=”false” thumbnail_link=”custom_link” link_title_tag=”true” custom_links_target=”_blank” overlay_style=”title-category-visible” columns_gap=”5″ img_hover_style=”fade-out” image_ids=”20934,20935,20937″ custom_links=”https://itunes.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1239768002?pt=118656308&ct=blog%20footer&mt=8,https://www.pktfuel.com/dailyemail,https://www.pktfuel.com/support” img_height=”350″]