It is a common temptation to want things to happen in our own timing, to force outcomes when God seems slow or absent. Yet, when we take matters into our own hands, as King Saul did, we risk sabotaging God’s best for us. True trust means waiting on God, even when circumstances are uncertain or people around us grow anxious. Surrendering our timeline to God is not passive; it is an act of faith that opens the door for His purposes to unfold in ways we could never orchestrate ourselves. [38:16]
1 Samuel 13:13-14 (ESV)
And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
Reflection: Where in your life are you tempted to force God’s hand or rush His timing? What would it look like today to wait on Him and trust His timing instead of your own?
Partial obedience is a subtle form of control, where we do most of what God asks but hold back a little for ourselves. Just as no one would accept 83% faithfulness in a relationship, God desires our whole-hearted obedience. Holding back even a small area of our lives keeps us from experiencing the fullness of God’s blessing and presence. True surrender means giving God every part of our hearts, not just the parts we are comfortable releasing. [41:14]
1 Samuel 15:22 (ESV)
And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.”
Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you are practicing partial obedience? What is one step you can take today to fully surrender that area to God?
We often try to control people, circumstances, or even God Himself, thinking it will bring safety or blessing. But control is the enemy of love and trust. Jesus modeled perfect surrender, rooted in His deep connection to the Father’s love. When we truly believe that God loves us as He loved Jesus, we can let go of our need to control and instead live in the freedom and power of surrender. This is not a passive resignation, but a bold, defiant trust that God’s hands are the safest place for our lives. [49:53]
Luke 23:46 (ESV)
Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.
Reflection: What is one relationship or situation where you are trying to maintain control? How can you practice surrender and trust in God’s love in that area today?
Shame keeps us hiding, convinced that we are too dirty or broken for God’s love. But God’s heart is infinitely compassionate, longing for us to bring our mess and our secrets into His light. Like a loving parent, He wants to wash us clean, not condemn us. Surrendering our shame means believing that Jesus’ sacrifice is enough, and that we no longer have to hide or try to fix ourselves before coming to Him. [01:05:02]
Psalm 34:4-5 (ESV)
I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
Reflection: What is one area of shame or regret you have been hiding from God? Will you take a moment today to bring it honestly to Him and receive His cleansing and acceptance?
At the core of surrender is the belief that God’s will for us is our deepest happiness, even when it is hard to see. Like Jesus in Gethsemane and on the cross, we are invited to let go, to trust that the Father will catch us when we leap in faith. Surrender is not a one-time act but a posture of the heart—a permanent “yes” to God. When we let go of control and trust His word, we discover the freedom and blessing that come on the other side of surrender. [01:13:55]
Matthew 26:39 (ESV)
And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
Reflection: What is the hardest thing for you to surrender to God’s will right now? What would it look like to say a wholehearted “yes” to Him in that area today?
Thank You, Lord, for the gift of forgiveness, for eternal life, and for the promise that we will see You face to face. We gather not just to worship, but to encounter Your presence, to offer You the highest praise, and to consecrate this time for You. In a world where trust is eroding—in leaders, in neighbors, even in ourselves—there is a deep temptation to become control freaks, to grasp for certainty and manage outcomes ourselves. Yet, the more we try to control, the less we experience the fullness of Your love.
Throughout history and Scripture, we see the dangers of trying to control what only God can hold. King Saul’s impatience with God’s timing cost him his kingdom. Partial obedience—doing almost everything God asks, but holding back a little—undermines the relationship, just as partial faithfulness would in any human relationship. We often try to control others out of fear, or even attempt to manipulate God through religious performance, but these efforts only distance us from true love and surrender.
The invitation is to move from control to surrender. Obedience is important, but surrender is deeper—a posture of the heart that says, “My yes is always open to You, Lord.” Jesus models this surrender perfectly, living every moment in connection to the Father’s love, trusting Him with His timing, His obedience, and even His suffering. On the cross, Jesus’ final words—“Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit”—were not passive resignation, but a loud, defiant act of trust.
To live surrendered, we must trust God with our future, even when it doesn’t look like we hoped. We must surrender our shame, believing that God’s heart is greater than our failures and that He longs to wash us clean. And ultimately, we must surrender our will, trusting that what God wants for us is our deepest happiness, even when it feels risky or uncertain. Like a trapeze artist, we must learn to let go at the right moment, trusting that the Father sees the whole picture and will catch us.
This is the leap of faith: to let go of control, to trust the Father’s love, and to surrender all that we are and have. The blessings of God are found on the other side of surrender. What do you need to commit to the Lord today? Bring it to Him, and receive His grace, forgiveness, and blessing.
Taking things into your own hands, because God's not moving in your time frame, doesn't make the will of God happen faster in your life, it sabotages the will of God happening in your life. And Saul did this. He tried to control the timing of his life, because people began to scatter, and it ended up costing him his leadership. [00:38:12] (22 seconds) #TrustGodsTiming
Partial obedience is such a temptation. It's where you do almost, almost everything God says, except a little bit. You keep a little bit back. And how many of you know, if you're in a relationship, you're worried about the little bit. No woman has ever dated a man and accepted this excuse. I'm like 83% faithful to you. I'm like mainly faithful. Like every now, there's like a 17% where I'm just sorting some stuff out. But will you accept the 83%? 83% faithfulness in our relationship. And the truth is, I think the woman's probably like the 17% is the only part that matters to me. It's the part you're holding back. The same thing happens in our obedience. [00:38:47] (49 seconds) #NoPartialObedience
We've got to shift from control to surrender. You've got to learn to surrender. Listen, this is big. A lot of times Christians talk about obedience. How many of you have heard obedience? Like, got to obey, man. Trust and obey. Got to obey. You've got to obey. But here's the problem. Obedience is often calculated in a moment. Obedience says, let me evaluate this decision. Will I rebel or will I obey? And if it looks good to me, I'll obey this one. But that means every time you have a major decision, you're going to have this war of obedience versus disobedience. And that will exhaust you. What we need instead is a posture of the heart that just says, God, my yes is a permanent, open yes to you. And whatever you want from me, you got it. Obedience is a momentary decision. Surrender is a lifelong posture of the heart. [00:46:38] (62 seconds) #LifelongSurrender
If you don't believe and trust that God loves you like He loved Jesus, why will you ever trust Him like Jesus trusted Him? You've got to, the most important thing is learning to surrender to the Father's love. It is the source of all surrender. [00:48:08] (17 seconds) #SurrenderToLove
Guilt says I've done something wrong. Shame says there's something wrong with me. Guilt is an external reality based on a decision you make. Shame is an internal state based on how you view yourself. One scholar said this, shame is an internalized critical gaze. And what that means is when you think of yourself, all you think is criticizing what's wrong with you. [00:58:03] (27 seconds) #UnderstandingShame
Here's the missing part of your analogy. When you're learning to let go, there's someone on the ground who is the master of the trapeze. And he can see when you're swinging out. And he can see when the person who is going to swing out is ready to catch you. And you're up there trying to do some sort of permanent chin-up. And you're screwing the whole thing up. You've got to listen for the word, and the word is hep. You've got to listen for the word hep. When you hear the word hep, leap out and be still. Because the person who's going to catch you is right there to grab you. This is your problem is you think you can figure out your own timing. You think you can be still in the air. But until you know there's somebody who can see the whole picture, you're never going to get caught and you'll never be still. [01:11:40] (53 seconds) #ListenAndLeap
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