- Isaac Bashevis Singer
I love that quote! It declares the truth in an ironic fashion: We have to choose. Everything we do involves a choice. We might say that we hold at least 51 percent of the stock in our lives.
We always cast the deciding vote on where to go and what to do and what to say—and God holds no one but us responsible for those choices.
Needless to say, the will is a powerful instrument.
It's interesting to me that God would give us such a wonderful gift of choice and then ask us to give it back to Him, surrendering our human will to His divine will. But He is God. He knows best. And He wants His children to have the best at all times and in all situations. So He says, "Choose My way. Choose life!"
Jesus is our supreme example of surrendering our will. Every time He was faced with temptation, He chose to obey His heavenly Father. Ultimately, He chose to sacrifice His life to provide eternal life for you and me.
I remember when I knew it was time to surrender a part of my ministry to God in a big way. I felt the Lord leading me not to charge for our concerts, but to take love offerings instead.
I was used to knowing what the expenses were and what my budgeted income would be. This was a giant leap of faith for me. But God kept leading me to open the doors free of charge so that families could come and bring their unsaved friends, neighbors, and loved ones. He said, "Freely you have received; now freely give."
When I obeyed, when I surrendered my way to Him, I found out God's will always produces better results than mine! My ministry began to grow dramatically and I discovered that although surrender is not easy, we walk in greater freedom and a deeper love for our Father God when we do things His way.
What do you need to surrender today?
"If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land" (Isa. 1:19 NIV).
Excerpt permission granted by Albury Publishing
Born Carman Licciardello, he began recording under his first name and released his debut album in 1980. Carman began charting contemporary Christian hits in 1984 with "Sunday's on the Way," reaching No. 1 with "The Champion" (1986) and "Radically Saved" (1988). His other hit songs include "Lord of All," "Jesus Is the Light," and "Satan, Bite the Dust!" Carman reportedly holds the world record for the largest audience at a Christian concert. His popularity was at its height in the 1980s and early '90s, but he continued releasing albums for years, including his most recent release, 2014's "No Plan B." In 2018, he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
