Almost one month ago, I had the privilege of attending Motion Student Conference for the second time with my hometown church, Stevens Creek Church. Motion, if you don't know what it is, is a student conference in Birmingham, Alabama where 14,000+ Christians gather to know Jesus more and experience His presence while opening their hearts to what God has ready for them.
Again, this was my second year attending the conference, so I knew what to expect and to be expecting new knowledge about myself and God's plans for me. But to be honest, when I arrived, I didn't really notice any incredible change in me. I figured, "maybe God will reveal things to me at the end of the conference," and sure enough he did. There's such an indescribable feeling when God whispers into your heart to tell you the things He's been waiting to reveal to you. To be completely honest, I wasn't expecting what He spoke into me, because it was something I had believed I already mastered. But this thing, this new revelation planted in me wasn't something I could bottle up and keep to myself. Being the hands and feet of Jesus also means speaking of His Word and what He does in our lives. So here it is. Are you ready?
I think as humans we have this natural instinct or desire to be in control, or rather take control of messy situations in our lives. But here's the thing: that's not our job at all. That's our Father's job, the One who created us and breathed life and His love into us. Throughout this life we will struggle, we will fail, we will have hardships, and we will deal with some pretty crappy situations. But that's the joy, the promise, and the confidence we have in Jesus.
We are children of a King who conquered death and silenced hell and its power forever. And if He can do that, there's absolutely nothing in this world He can't and won't do for His children. He is constantly pouring out His love and grace to us, even though we don't, and never will, deserve it. See that's the thing about Jesus. He WANTS to take away your burdens. He WANTS to comfort you and to give you His love. He carried your cross for you. The world sees surrendering as weakness or vulnerability in a negative sense. Turn away from the society's opinion. Surrendering is NOT weakness and it is NOT vulnerability. It's actually positive vulnerability.
Being vulnerable with Jesus means being more open with Him and being humbler with Him. Let me be vulnerable if it means having a relationship with Jesus. Motion 2016 taught me how to give everything up for Jesus and how to be 100% with Him, not just giving a portion of me. He wants a relationship with us and to make permanent homes in our vacant hearts. To surrender to Jesus is to be intimate with Him.
Jesus, what an incredible thing it is to be intimate with you. I surrender it all to you.
| 1 Peter 5:7 |
