Thoughts on Fenelon, Let Go, Letter 34, “Surrender is Not a Heroic Sacrifice, But a Simple Sinking Into the Will of God”
A Psalm I frequently pray for myself is Psalm 131
It is the picture of surrender. As Fenelon notes, surrender is the resting in the love of Christ. It is not in doing great feats but the accepting of His will and His love in all circumstances that we find peace. As Fenelon notes, a sign of lack of peace reflects a lack of surrender.
Often my problem is expecting more. God has been incredibly generous with me. Yet, even in the midst of how much He pours out on me, I want more. Sometimes this is a good want. Sometimes what I am pressing into is His will and His desires. When my heart is aligned with Him and my desire is to see His Kingdom come in greater measure, this is a good thing to desire to see more.
However, my wants are not always aligned with His. Sometimes I want more for myself. I want significance or recognition. I have ambitions outside of Him. When I really think about it, I know I don’t want this for myself. It would result in pride and damage to my relationship with Christ. So why would I even desire it?
Several of the problems in my life are rooted in a desire for significance or recognition. Why is this? What is at the root? I will never have peace in this area until I can let go of my desires to see my own glory rather than His. There is a place inside of me that has always believed I have to be getting somewhere. I need to be progressing and have visible evidence of this.
What the true desire in my heart is that I would live my life as praise to Christ. I deeply desire that all I do would bring Him glory and at the end of my life, I would be able to say, with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, with everything I had within me, I lived to love Him. He is my treasure. “Everything I have ever wanted I have found in You” sings in the background.
Lord, I so desire that I could stop wanting anything outside you and find that I have everything in You. Would you bring me into complete surrender to you? Would you align my desires with Yours? Fill me with your Spirit, your will and your desires. I long to look more like You.
“Yahweh, my heart has no lofty ambitions, my eyes do not look too high. I am not concerned with great affairs or marvels beyond my scope. Enough for me to keep my soul tranquil and quiet like a child in its mother’s arms, as content as a child that has been weaned. Israel, rely on Yahweh, now and for always!”
It is the picture of surrender. As Fenelon notes, surrender is the resting in the love of Christ. It is not in doing great feats but the accepting of His will and His love in all circumstances that we find peace. As Fenelon notes, a sign of lack of peace reflects a lack of surrender.
Often my problem is expecting more. God has been incredibly generous with me. Yet, even in the midst of how much He pours out on me, I want more. Sometimes this is a good want. Sometimes what I am pressing into is His will and His desires. When my heart is aligned with Him and my desire is to see His Kingdom come in greater measure, this is a good thing to desire to see more.
However, my wants are not always aligned with His. Sometimes I want more for myself. I want significance or recognition. I have ambitions outside of Him. When I really think about it, I know I don’t want this for myself. It would result in pride and damage to my relationship with Christ. So why would I even desire it?
Several of the problems in my life are rooted in a desire for significance or recognition. Why is this? What is at the root? I will never have peace in this area until I can let go of my desires to see my own glory rather than His. There is a place inside of me that has always believed I have to be getting somewhere. I need to be progressing and have visible evidence of this.
What the true desire in my heart is that I would live my life as praise to Christ. I deeply desire that all I do would bring Him glory and at the end of my life, I would be able to say, with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, with everything I had within me, I lived to love Him. He is my treasure. “Everything I have ever wanted I have found in You” sings in the background.
Lord, I so desire that I could stop wanting anything outside you and find that I have everything in You. Would you bring me into complete surrender to you? Would you align my desires with Yours? Fill me with your Spirit, your will and your desires. I long to look more like You.
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