Raising the White Flag

Surrender

Have you ever felt like you are right on the brink? Just one more emotional strain, relational conflict, financial setback, or physical ailment will send you right over the edge, causing you to want to give in and quit. The prophet Jeremiah gives us a glimpse into the instability in his own life. He encountered family and ministry problems and even got into some legal trouble. It's easier to relate to a guy who certainly never pretended to have it altogether.

In the midst of Jeremiah's personal troubles and those of the surrounding culture, God gave him a message of surrender. But this call to surrender wasn't permission to just cop out and throw in the towel because of life's many hardships. Though it can be tempting to consider giving up as a parent, employee, or friend when the going gets tough, God calls us to a different kind of surrender. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God called the people of Judah to trust in Him by surrendering to His leading instead of trying to sort out life from their limited vantage point. And God gave Jeremiah plenty of opportunity to demonstrate how to do this. Again and again we see him looking to God's ways—made known through God's Word—over his own. Jeremiah said,

When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven's Armies.

Jeremiah 15:16

We can learn a lot from this humble prophet's example. See if God's mega-theme of surrender through Jeremiah's life and writings echoes into your own white flag anxieties.

No Excuses

Jeremiah first responded to God's call with many reasons why he couldn't do what God asked of him. Choosing to obey God would cost him family relationships and social standing. He also told God he was too young.

"O Sovereign Lord," I said, "I can't speak for you! I'm too young!" The Lord replied, "Don't say, 'I'm too young,' for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you."

Jeremiah 1:6-7

Jeremiah made excuses, but God met every one with an assurance of His divine help and power. Eventually Jeremiah chose to believe and obey God in spite of his doubts and fears. In faith he followed God instead of giving in to his insecurities.

What nudging from God's Spirit have you been hearing lately? What plan has He revealed that will entail giving up some things you'd rather not? What excuses have you been making to get out of following God's clear leading? Jeremiah found that, although following God wasn't always easy, surrendering to God brought blessing while making excuses resulted in suffering consequences. As you consider what is holding you back from complete surrender to God, listen for God's voice of help and power assuring that He will empower you in every situation.

Surrender and Popularity

I know we like to pretend popularity was something we outgrew after high school, but many of us are still trying to find the right lunch table decades later. People-pleasing can influence our words, actions, and attitudes. We want people to like us. What about those times when totally yielding to God might upset our spouse, friends, or family members? God calls us to be faithful and obedient even when we must stand alone.

When Jeremiah boldly proclaimed God's message of surrender, he faced opposition from government leaders. In an effort to silence him, King Zedekiah ordered that he be placed in a large cistern. Jeremiah discovered that obedience doesn't always mean that life will be easy. He found himself at the bottom of a pit, realizing that God values character and obedience over personal comfort or human applause.

So the officials took Jeremiah from his cell and lowered him by ropes into an empty cistern in the prison yard. It belonged to Malkijah, a member of the royal family. There was no water in the cistern, but there was a thick layer of mud at the bottom, and Jeremiah sank down into it.

Jeremiah 38:6

How about you? How could completely yielding to the Lord in your life possibly affect those around you? Would they talk about you behind your back or think you've become a fanatic? What audience most greatly influences your daily decisions? Even though surrender won't always bring you popularity, God says He will bless you. His good plans might not always feel good in the moment, but obedience affords great long-term benefits. God promised to take care of Jeremiah and longs to shower us with His comfort as well.

Confirmation

Once we lay aside excuses and determine to please God above people, what if we still don't know what God is saying to us? Did we really hear God say we should quit our job, have another baby, or start a new ministry? Jeremiah's messages from God seemed so clear, yet even he sought confirmation. He stayed in close fellowship with God through honest dialogue coupled with deep study of His Word. While God can speak through anything or anyone, Jeremiah found God's confirmation most often through prayer, Scripture, and people. God also confirmed his word through Jeremiah by taking away his peace until he obeyed. On one occasion, Jeremiah described the unrest he felt until he obeyed God with these words:

But if I say I'll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It's like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can't do it!

Jeremiah 20:9

I also have had times when I have asked God to direct me by giving me peace about a decision. When we weren't sure about a medical decision after praying, seeking counsel, and searching God's Word, I asked God to take away the overwhelming peace I felt about the procedure if it wasn't His leading. I felt His peace and lightness about proceeding when usually I would be fearful about this type of procedure, and I never regretted the choice later.

By following Jeremiah's example of intimate dialogue with God and careful study of God's Word, we can begin to discern whether a thought or idea is from the Holy Spirit or just our own desire. We also can find affirmation through people, circumstances, and when God "burns" His word in our hearts as He did in Jeremiah.

Defining Success

I find this thinking creeping into my own soul at times:

I follow God = everything should go well for me.

But this is not biblical. The list is long of those who followed God and found hardship and difficulty. People mocked Noah for his boat project. Joseph's brothers put him in a pit and sold him. David hid in caves on the run for his life from King Saul. Jeremiah preached boldly but no one listened. His family rejected him, and his government imprisoned him.

We tend to define ourselves by our accomplishments, appearance, or intelligence. Yet Jeremiah shows us that even the most faithful followers can feel anxiety and depression and struggle to...