I said, “I’ve worked and served for nothing. I have used up all my strength for nothing.”  Yet my rights I leave in Yahweh’s hands, and my just reward is with my God. Isaiah 49:4

We live in a constant tension between running our own lives versus letting God lead. We forget we exchanged our old life for a new life in Christ. A life lived in surrender to God’s will. A life that is better only when God is at the center and directing our steps.

One of the indicators that we have taken back control of our lives is frustration and disappointment.  We don’t feel like we’re hitting our goals or attaining that for which we’re reaching. Life generally feels like it is not going our way when we measure it by the world’s standard.

When we’re experiencing these emotions we remind ourselves that we have surrendered all our rights to Jesus. He rules and has control in all areas. All aspects of our lives are placed in His hands.

Take for example the frustration we can feel waiting in traffic or a grocery store line. We get angry with people in front of us who are slowing us down from our important tasks. We are not being efficient or  accomplishing our goals. Of course we have little control over the situation so we just sit and stew. This is a simple indicator of an unsurrendered part of our lives that must be given to God. We give Him the rights to our time and life going our way.

By contrast, if our life is surrendered to God we take the time of waiting to pray, worship, or just reconnect with God in the busyness of our day. We look around at people and ask God if there is anyone we can encourage. 

We are not pursuing our own reward, we are pursuing God and our reward is in Him.