Surrender

From Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

As I read a blog from Life In The Spacious Place I was challenged to choose one word to focus on for this new year of 2018.  Today is also the Feast of Mary, Mother of God.  As I pray and contemplate about Mary, what strikes me is her simplicity of response when hearing God's call. 

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May your word to me be fulfilled." --Luke 1:38

She didn't bombard the angel with the many questions she must have had running through her mind, she didn't say, "Can I have a couple of days to think about it?", she didn't run away in fear.  She simply said, "yes."  She surrendered completely to God's will for her life. 
For me, surrender means to let go of ME.  To not seize control over situations and manipulate them into my perception of the best outcome.  Rather, to let God show me HIS plan. 
This act of surrender is not a synonym for being disengaged in the life I live, but rather re-engaged to listening to where the Spirit of God is leading me.  As Mary listened to what the angel had to say, she responded without hesitation not only in that moment, but each and every day of her life in her new role as the Mother of God.
The act of surrendering to God's will is not that of defeat, but of freedom.  Freedom from fear, mistrust, anger, jealousy, materialism, failure.  It's not something that I will write about today and be done with.  This is something I want to be intentional about, each day, each hour, each moment, each encounter.  For me, prayer, journaling, thinking, sharing are all ways that I can be purposeful in my quest for surrender. 
What is YOUR word for 2018?  Leave a comment below and share!