Surrender to win

Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20)

For the past six months, I’ve been praying for God to guide my footsteps and show me what to do. My work stress had become so great that tears would spring to my eyes whenever I was asked about it. I was working 10, 12, even 14 hour days at one point, and work was always on my mind. When my supervisor told me to take my phone with me on a long, overdue vacation, I knew it was too much. I began applying for new jobs as soon as I returned from my trip. 

After submitting my first application, I fell prostrate before my Heavenly Father, begging Him to help me. Show me Your will, Lord, I prayed. If it is Your desire, open the door for me. Please open the door. 

Sensing my distress, my mother called the Billy Graham Evangelism Association Prayer Line on my behalf and asked for prayer. In response, the counselor prayed Psalm 86 with her. When she later told me of her call, I looked the scripture up, and the words spoke powerfully to my heart. 

“Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am faithful to You; save your servant who trusts in You. You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in You…Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. When I am in distress, I call to You, because you answer me.” (v. 1-4,6-7)

With each application I submitted, I prayed that God would guide me. More than anything, I wanted to follow His plan for my life, which meant I needed to surrender. As much as I felt I needed to move on, a part of me struggled with the thought that maybe He wanted me to stay. With each prayerful petition, I ended by submitting myself to my Creator’s control.

Your will be done, Lord, I prayed. Open the door if it’s what You want for me and close it if it’s not. 

Surrender is never easy. A friend of mine recently asked me what I meant when I told her that she needed to do the same.

“To surrender, you need to accept whatever outcome God brings,” I explained. “You need to prepare your heart to be content with whatever happens. If He wants you to stay, you need to accept that. If He wants you to move ahead, He will open the door for you.” 

It’s not easy to find happiness in all circumstances, but I found my peace after much prayer. I knew God had brought me to my current work environment and that He used my positivity to encourage others. I accepted that He might need me to remain where I was, so I let go of my fervency and settled into what I perceived to be His will. 

That’s when I saw the job listing. It was posted on a Sunday night – something I’d never seen before. Who posts jobs on a Sunday? I’ll apply tomorrow. 

But something inside me told me not to delay. I pulled out my computer and spent the next several hours researching, rewriting my cover letter, and applying for the job. 

Monday morning, I had an email from the VP of HR asking me for an interview. I could hardly believe such a thing could happen so quickly. On the first day? Who contacts candidates on the first day after posting a job? Don’t they want to wait until more resumes are received before setting up interviews? It seemed surreal to hear back so quickly when I’d been waiting months for other organizations’ responses. 

Nevertheless, I responded quickly and had my first interview a few days later. 

At the end of our discussion, I was told by the recruiter that he was moving me forward to meet with the hiring manager. Again, I was astounded. This doesn’t happen, I thought. But it did. Before long, I was scheduled for my second interview. 

Your words, my lips, Lord, I prayed. I had failed at another interview that took place with a different company in the interim, and I didn’t have a lot of confidence going into this one. Still, I prayed: Your words, my lips, Lord. If this is what you want me to do, you need to give me Your words. You are in control.

At the start of our discussion, the hiring manager allowed me to talk about whatever I wanted to with him – my hobbies, family, interests – whatever I felt like discussing was fair game. I started to talk about my writing and then stopped. It was as if God halted my words and redirected my thoughts. 

“Let me tell you who I am,” I began. I then proceeded to explain that I am an encourager – a topic I would typically never discuss. This was a job interview. I was supposed to talk about my work, not my personality. 

When I was done speaking, my interviewer told me that I had provided the best response he had ever received in any interview he’d ever conducted. Thank you, Jesus! I thought. Those were Your words, not mine. 

After nearly an hour into what was only supposed to be a half-hour interview, the hiring manager told me he didn’t want to put me on the spot, but he wanted to move me forward to meet the two top people I would be working with, in addition to him. And so he did. 

A week and a third interview later, I was offered the position – one which I never thought I’d get, for more pay than I anticipated, in a field that offered more stability than my current role. Needless to say, I accepted.

“I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever. For great is Your love toward me; You have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead.” (Psalm 86: 12-13)

We don’t often think of surrendering to win, but that’s what God longs for all of us to do. Jesus gave us the ultimate example of submission when He prayed to His heavenly Father before being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me,” He prayed, “yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) 

If Jesus could willingly take on my guilt and yours by suffering a horrific death on a cross, how much more should I relinquish my desires to Him? My acquiescence is nothing compared to His. 

And so I am now blessed with yet another profound testimony. I know that God opened this door for me. What He provided is exceptionally more than I ever could have anticipated. What I received is a miracle. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I know God is with me, and that’s all that matters. 

Believe in the impossible, beloved, and remember that it’s only in surrendering that we can win.