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Finding True Fulfillment Through Surrender to God

by Suamico United Methodist Church
on Jul 06, 2025

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Finding True Fulfillment Through Surrender to God

Summary

Growing up, many of us are shaped by the stories we hear and the dreams we chase, often inspired by movies or the culture around us. We’re told to follow our hearts, pursue our desires, and seek fulfillment in achievements or possessions. Yet, as we journey through life, we often find that chasing after these things leaves us feeling empty or longing for something more. The paradox of the Christian life is that true freedom and fulfillment are found not in pursuing our own will, but in surrendering it to God. Just as a musician finds freedom in disciplined practice, we discover real joy and clarity when we submit our plans and desires to the One who created us.

Obedience to God is not about losing out, but about gaining a deeper sense of purpose and peace. When we let go of our need to control every outcome and trust God’s guidance, life becomes clearer and more fruitful. This surrender is not always comfortable; waiting on God and walking by faith can be unsettling, especially for those of us who like to plan and stay busy. But in those moments of uncertainty, God invites us to pause, to listen, and to trust that His plans are better than our own.

Personal experience teaches that even when we reach the heights of our ambitions—whether in sports, academics, or any other pursuit—there can still be a sense of emptiness if our efforts are centered on ourselves rather than on God. Achievements and accolades may bring temporary satisfaction, but they cannot fill the deeper longing in our hearts. It is only when we surrender our desires and allow God to redirect our paths that we find lasting fulfillment. The journey of surrender is ongoing, and each of us must ask: What do I need to lay down before Jesus? What does it truly mean to live a life surrendered to Christ?

Key Takeaways

- True freedom is found in surrendering our will to God, not in following every personal desire. The world tells us to chase our dreams, but God calls us to trust His plans, which are always for our good and His glory. Obedience is not restriction, but the pathway to real joy and clarity. [01:34]

- The discipline of obedience is like learning to play an instrument: it may seem limiting at first, but it opens up a world of beauty and possibility. When we submit to God’s instruction, we become more fully ourselves, living out the purpose for which we were created. [02:44]

- Waiting on God can be uncomfortable, especially for those who like to be in control or always have a plan. Yet, it is in these seasons of waiting and uncertainty that our faith is deepened and our trust in God’s goodness is refined. Walking by faith means embracing the unknown, confident that God is leading us. [04:03]

- Pursuing fulfillment in achievements, possessions, or the approval of others often leads to disappointment and emptiness. Even at the peak of success, if our hearts are not surrendered to God, we will sense that something is missing. Only God can fill the deepest longings of our hearts. [06:16]

- God sometimes allows us to reach dead ends in our own pursuits to humble us and redirect us toward His purposes. These moments of brokenness are not failures, but invitations to realign our hearts with God’s will and experience His grace in new ways. [04:54]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:20] - Childhood Memories and Disney Themes
[01:10] - The Paradox of Gaining by Losing
[01:34] - Freedom Through Obedience
[02:44] - The Importance of God’s Instructions
[03:20] - Letting God Take the Reins
[04:03] - The Challenge of Waiting on God
[04:54] - Surrendering Our Will
[05:30] - The Emptiness of Self-Fulfillment
[06:16] - Chasing Fulfillment in Achievements
[07:40] - The Limits of Success
[09:00] - God’s Redirection and Humbling
[10:10] - Questions for Reflection and Discussion

Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Guide: Surrendering Our Will to God

---

### Bible Reading

1. Matthew 6:10 (ESV)
> "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

2. 2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV)
> "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

3. Psalm 37:4-5 (ESV)
> "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."

---

### Observation Questions

1. According to the sermon, what are some common messages from our culture or childhood stories about how to find fulfillment? ([01:34])
2. What analogy did the speaker use to describe the discipline of obedience to God, and what was the point of that analogy? ([02:44])
3. In the speaker’s personal story, what did he discover about chasing achievements and success? ([06:16])
4. What does the Lord’s Prayer ask regarding God’s will, and how does that relate to the main theme of the sermon? (Matthew 6:10)

---

### Interpretation Questions

1. Why might surrendering our own desires to God feel uncomfortable or even scary, especially for people who like to plan and be in control? ([04:03])
2. How does the discipline of obedience to God actually lead to more freedom, rather than less? ([02:44])
3. What does it mean to “walk by faith, not by sight” in the context of waiting on God and not knowing the outcome? ([04:03])
4. Why do achievements, possessions, or the approval of others often leave us feeling empty, even when we reach our goals? ([06:16])

---

### Application Questions

1. The speaker shared about times when he chased after his own desires and ended up feeling empty. Can you think of a time when you pursued something you thought would satisfy you, but it didn’t? What did you learn from that experience? ([06:16])
2. Is there an area of your life right now where you are struggling to let go of control and trust God’s plan? What would it look like to surrender that area to Him this week? ([04:03])
3. The sermon compared obedience to God to learning an instrument—discipline that leads to beauty and freedom. What is one “practice” or habit you could start (or restart) to help you listen to God’s instructions more closely? ([02:44])
4. When you find yourself waiting on God and feeling uncomfortable or restless, what are some practical ways you can pause, listen, and trust Him instead of rushing ahead? ([04:03])
5. The speaker mentioned that sometimes God allows us to reach dead ends to humble us and redirect us. Have you experienced a “dead end” that turned out to be a turning point in your faith? How did God use that time in your life? ([04:54])
6. What is one desire, plan, or dream you feel God might be asking you to lay down or surrender to Him? How can the group pray for you as you take that step? ([04:54])
7. The sermon ended with the question: “What do you need to surrender to Jesus, and what does it mean to live a life surrendering to Christ?” How would you answer that today? ([04:54])

---

Closing Prayer:
Invite group members to pray for one another, especially for areas where surrender and trust in God are needed.

Devotional

Day 1: True Freedom Comes Through Surrender to God’s Will
When we surrender our own desires and plans to God, we discover a deeper freedom than anything the world can offer. Obedience to God is not about restriction, but about aligning ourselves with the One who created us and knows what is best for us. Just as a musician finds true freedom in disciplined practice, we find clarity and fruitfulness when we let God guide our lives. Instead of chasing after fleeting pleasures or material things, we are invited to trust that God’s will leads to lasting peace and fulfillment. [01:34]

Matthew 6:10 (ESV)
"Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are still holding tightly to your own plans or desires? What would it look like to surrender that area to God today?

Day 2: Waiting on God Can Be Uncomfortable, But It Grows Our Faith
There are seasons when God calls us to pause, wait, and trust Him even when we don’t know what’s next. These moments can be uncomfortable, especially for those who like to plan and stay busy. Yet, it is in these times of waiting that our faith is stretched and deepened. Walking by faith and not by sight means trusting that God is working, even when we can’t see the outcome. [04:03]

2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV)
"For we walk by faith, not by sight."

Reflection: When was the last time you felt uncomfortable waiting for God’s direction? How can you choose to trust Him in the uncertainty you face right now?

Day 3: Fulfillment Is Found in God, Not in Achievements or Possessions
Chasing after personal achievements, accolades, or material possessions may bring temporary satisfaction, but it often leaves us feeling empty or longing for more. True fulfillment comes not from what we accomplish or acquire, but from living in obedience to God and seeking His purpose for our lives. When we let go of self-glorification and allow God to redirect us, we find the peace and joy our hearts truly crave. [06:16]

Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 (ESV)
"And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun."

Reflection: Think of a recent achievement or possession you hoped would satisfy you. Did it leave you fulfilled, or did you find yourself still longing for something more? Why do you think that is?

Day 4: God’s Plans Lead to What We Need, Not Always What We Want
When we let God direct our lives, we may not always get what we want, but we will always receive what we truly need. God’s wisdom surpasses our own, and His plans lead us to the places and purposes that are best for us—even if the path looks different than we expected. Surrendering to God’s will brings peace, joy, and fulfillment that cannot be found elsewhere. [04:54]

Proverbs 19:21 (ESV)
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."

Reflection: Where in your life have your plans not worked out as you hoped, but in hindsight, you can see God’s better purpose? How does this encourage you to trust Him with your future?

Day 5: The World Says “Follow Your Heart,” But God Calls Us to Surrender It
Society often encourages us to chase our desires and follow our hearts, but this can lead us down empty paths and leave us feeling unfulfilled. God invites us to examine the desires that have led us astray and to surrender our hearts to Him. In doing so, we find true purpose and freedom—not in self-seeking, but in living for Christ. [06:16]

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (ESV)
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 'I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.'"

Reflection: What desire or pursuit has led your heart astray in the past? How can you invite God to redirect your heart toward Him today?

Quotes

We plan, God laughs. And it's, it's, it's almost ironic because I'm one, I'm a person myself who I love planning. I love preparing for the future. I don't like getting into situations that I don't know what I'm supposed to do because a lot of, I don't like twiddling my thumbs. [00:03:32] (18 seconds) #TrustBeyondPlans Edit Clip

You know, we walk by faith. We don't walk by sight. And that can be hard. But I promise you, I can wholeheartedly promise you when we give up our own will, when we let God direct us, we might not get the things we want, but we'll get the things we need and we'll get to where we're supposed to be, not where we want to be. [00:04:10] (27 seconds) #FaithOverSight Edit Clip

I remember when I reached a point in my life where I was searching for something to liberate me from the things that I was carrying, struggles, anxiety, and just wanting something a little more in my life, feeling like there's something missing, almost like a hole in my heart. [00:05:58] (18 seconds) #HeartfeltLonging Edit Clip

So, I remember growing up, my cousins and my siblings and I would go up north to my grandparents' cottage up in Krivitz. I remember we would pull out the little drawer with all the VHS tapes—Disney movies or the old Christmas movies—that we would all watch. And I always think about the themes that were in those Disney movies and everything, like following your dreams. I remember Tangled and how she wanted to see the lanterns and everything like that.

And so, my first question for you guys that I would like you to discuss among your tables is: What Disney movie is your favorite, and what was the theme of it? And that's the question. So, you can take, yep, five minutes to conversate about that.

And this is something that, you know, it's kind of hard for us. It's almost like a paradox, where in order for us to gain more, we must lose. In order for us to receive, we must give. And I know a lot of times, like, I remember going through college and everything, we have, like, study abroad. And, you know, it costs a pretty, I think it's $5,000 for just like a month to go somewhere in the country and learn and everything. Or, I'll hear, like, coming out of high school, like, go travel, go do this, and go, you know, go many places. Or, you know, it can be that way for, like, materialistic kinds of things—clothing, cars, or jewelry and things like that.

And I think of how the more freedom we have, we are able to have that by the obedience and by us giving our will to God. You know, it says in the Lord's Prayer, "Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." When we focus on what we ought to do and not so much on what we want to do, life can become a lot more clear and it can be a lot more fruitful. You know, C.S. Lewis wrote beautifully: Who is more free to play piano, the child who bangs on it to its heart's whim and desire, or the student disciplined in its practice, obedient to his teacher and master of the law of music theory? It's in our obedience to God, letting Him take the reins of our lives. When we choose to give up our own will and let Him guide us.

You know, there's a reason why they have an instruction manual when we're putting stuff together from Ikea. Sometimes we can't understand the words, but the drawings do a pretty good job sometimes. Sometimes when we don't use the instructions, we get something that we didn't pay for. So we have to take it all apart and then actually look at the instructions. And, you know, it looks like a chair that we actually bought, not some coffee table. It's life is going to be a lot clearer. Life is going to be a lot more fruitful when we listen to the person who created us, who created everything. And He has a plan for us. Sometimes we just got to listen.

You know, I heard on the mission trip, a lot, we plan, God laughs. And it's almost ironic because I'm one, I'm a person myself who loves planning. I love preparing for the future. I don't like getting into situations where I don't know what I'm supposed to do because I don't like twiddling my thumbs. And I know some of you were on the mission trip. I was always looking for the next thing to do, and I didn't like waiting. But sometimes that's what we're called to do. We're called to take a moment for pause. We're called to have a moment for waiting. And that can be uncomfortable. It can be very uncomfortable in those times where we don't know where the heck we're going.

You know, we walk by faith. We don't walk by sight. And that can be hard. But I promise you, I can wholeheartedly promise you: when we give up our own will, when we let God direct us, we might not get the things we want, but we'll get the things we need, and we'll get to where we're supposed to be, not where we want to be.

And so, in all, I pray that you may give God the opportunity to be your freedom by surrendering your will. And instead of doing your own thing, doing God's will. I can promise that in the process, you will find peace, you will find joy, and you will find fulfillment.

So, in my final question, I ask: What do you need to surrender to Jesus? And what does it mean to live a life surrendering to Christ? That’s what we talked about in our tables and everything like that. So, like Disney movies, we hear a lot of times from society to follow your heart and chase your desires. But how many times do we feel stuck or longing for a little more or not feeling fully fulfilled after those things? Like, seriously, think of times where maybe you bought a new vehicle or you finally hit a milestone in your life, and you're like, "This is it. This is where we're finally going to figure something out." And the key word here is I. I’m figuring something out. I’m finding my way in everything. There’s no surrenderance or obedience.

And sometimes, with the burdens that we carry, it’s common for us to look into the creation for something that may break these chains or lighten the load. I remember when I reached a point in my life where I was searching for something to liberate me from the things I was carrying—struggles, anxiety, and just wanting something a little more in my life, feeling like there’s something missing, almost like a hole in my heart.

And for me, this was my desire when I was seeking fulfillment. I started doing sports when I was probably in first grade. I did a lot of different sports—track, wrestling, football, soccer. I tried out basketball, and after my first game, I realized that was probably not the best sport for me. So I didn’t take athletics super seriously until high school. I wasn’t the most talented or gifted, but I had a hard work ethic. During COVID, I remember the whole summer I had an internship in Kekana at an electrical company. I would work there for eight hours, then lift for two hours, and on Mondays and Wednesdays, I’d run for another hour. I kept working and trying to improve my physical capabilities in sports.

Finally, in my senior year, I was harvesting the results of all that effort. I remember in football, I was all-conference on defense and offense, and all-region on defense and offense. In wrestling, I had a pretty good career—four-time conference champ, and I was at the peak of my season after the Freedom Invite, where I faced competitors from Appleton North, committed to a D1 football team, and the previous year’s state champ. I won that tournament. Afterward, I looked at the rankings—ranked number one in our division and number two in the state at 195 pounds.

Yet, there was still something missing. You know, a lot of times people say, “It gets lonely at the top.” It gets lonely when you’re finally doing all the things you can, and you keep going. I kept going with my season, made it to state, and was highly ranked. But I remember the night before competition, I got the worst stomach bug I’ve ever had. I lost 11 pounds overnight—probably the sickest I’ve ever been. I was able to make the weight class below, which was a 13-pound difference. I remember finishing my first match and just getting throttled—I’d never been beaten like that in years. I was left wondering, “Why? What? I put all this time and effort in, and I thought I was doing something to glorify God, but I was actually glorifying myself.”

That was a dead end. I was chasing my desires, pursuing accolades, feeling good about winning, but it wasn’t what God wanted for me. I realized I had lost my purpose. That changed when I went to college. I started a Bible study group on the wrestling team, and we began incorporating prayer. In that moment, my senior year, I was going down a path of chasing my desires—chasing after the wins, the recognition. It felt good to win, but that’s not what God wanted me to do. I thank God now for humbling me and redirecting me in another way.

So, the question I’d like you to discuss for the next five minutes is: What has led your heart astray? What desire have you chased down? What rabbit hole have you gone down that ended up being a dead end? That can be many different things, and I want you to discuss that for a little bit.

Subject: Finding True Fulfillment Through Surrender to God

Dear Suamico United Methodist Church,

I hope this email finds you reflecting on what it truly means to surrender your will to God and find freedom in His guidance.

Last Sunday, we talked about how life often feels like a paradox—how gaining more sometimes means giving up, and how true freedom comes through obedience to God rather than chasing our own desires. I shared from my own journey, especially in sports, where I realized that pursuing success and recognition wasn’t fulfilling because I was glorifying myself, not God. We explored how surrendering our plans and desires to God’s will brings clarity, peace, and a deeper joy that the world’s promises can’t offer.

I want to encourage you to honestly ask yourself: What desires or plans have led your heart astray? What are you holding onto that might be keeping you from fully surrendering to Jesus? It’s not easy to let go of control or to wait when we don’t know what’s next, but when we do, God will lead us to exactly where we need to be—not where we think we want to be.

Blessings,
Suamico United Methodist Church Team