For such a long time, I thought giving God most of me was good enough. I thought since I prayed, attended church and would attempt to do what is right, that was enough for God. The reality is, God wants all of our lives, not just a partof it.
Partial obedience = disobedience
What does it mean to give God your all? It means to stop clinching your fists and to stretch out your hands to God. For so long, I put things, people, relationships, and careers over God. I thought if I was a little obedient, or if I took a short cut, I would still receive the promises of God. But, when God says obey, He will not settle for partial obedience. For this reason, anytime I would step out of the will of God; I would immediately be convicted and corrected. But anytime I was obedient, God truly blessed me beyond my belief (Isaiah 1:19).
Surrender
When you decide to give God your all, it requires surrendering every area of your life to Him. Even when it does not make sense, I have learned to obey Him. You know what really amazes me? Every time I let go of something, He usually gives it right back, but with lagniappe. Lagniappe is a word often used in New Orleans, which means a little something extra!
Obedience is better than sacrifice
I love the passage in the Bible (Genesis 22) that speaks about Abraham preparing to sacrifice his one and only son. As soon as he prepares his son for sacrifice, God exclaims, “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” He said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son” (Genesis 22:12).
The angel of the Lord proclaimed, “I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars…your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me” (Genesis 22:17-18). God is no different in our lives. The moment you follow Him, surrender, and let go, God promises He will bless you.
You have to trust that God knows what is best for you. If something is not working in your life, you have to give it up to Him. When you surrender and align your plans with His, it may hurt for a moment, but God will turn your sadness into joy and give you strength (Nehemiah 8:10). You will get to a place and wonder, why didn’t I trust God in the first place? He will give you more than your heart could have ever imagined. I promise, you will obtain peace, which the world cannot give to you.
Remember: God is waiting on You!
Kemberley Washington is the author of 21 Days of Powerful Breakthroughs.
