Being a Christian isn’t just about ticking a box or making a one-time decision—it’s about a daily commitment to follow Jesus and to live according to His will. The world often presents Christianity as something that can be added to your life without requiring any real change—a comforting label without any real sacrifice. But the reality is the opposite. Following Jesus requires full surrender, a willingness to lay down our own desires, ambitions, and even our lives, to pick up our cross and follow Him.
Jesus gave everything for us on the cross. His sacrifice was not partial or conditional; it was complete and all-encompassing. In response, He calls us to live fully surrendered to His will and purpose. This isn’t about earning salvation—that’s a gift of grace—but about living out the reality of what it means to belong to Christ. True discipleship involves a willingness to give up our own agendas, to let go of the things that we hold onto for security or identity, and to embrace the life that Jesus offers.
This is not an easy path. The world tells us to prioritize our own happiness, to protect our reputation, and to chase after success as we define it. But Jesus tells us the opposite. He says that if we try to save our lives in the way the world suggests, we will lose them. But if we lose our lives for His sake—if we surrender everything to Him—we will truly find life. This is the paradox of the gospel: in losing, we gain; in surrendering, we find freedom; and in dying to ourselves, we truly live.
To be a follower of Jesus means living a life of daily surrender, where we continually lay down our lives in worship to Him. This surrender is not just about the big decisions, but the small, everyday choices that demonstrate our commitment to follow Christ above all else. It is in this surrender that we find the fullness of life that Jesus promised—a life of purpose, joy, and peace that cannot be found anywhere else.
Questions to Ask Ourselves
- Is there any part of your life that you haven’t yet fully surrendered to God? What’s holding you back from giving it over to Him completely?
- What is the greatest sacrifice you’ve had to make in following Jesus? How has that sacrifice deepened your relationship with Him?
- How do you handle the tension between the world’s values and the call to follow Jesus? In what areas do you feel the greatest struggle, and how can you overcome it?
- How can you make surrender to Jesus a daily practice, not just a one-time event? What practical steps can you take to live a life fully committed to Christ?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I come before You today acknowledging that You gave everything for me on the cross. I confess that there are areas of my life that I’ve held onto, unwilling to fully surrender them to You. Help me to lay down my life, my desires, and my ambitions at Your feet. Teach me to pick up my cross daily and follow You with all my heart. Strengthen me to resist the temptation to live for myself and to embrace the life of surrender that leads to true freedom and joy in You. May my life be a reflection of Your love and grace, and may I live fully for Your glory. In Your name, I pray, Amen.
Supporting Verses
- Luke 9:23-24 (NIV): “Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.'”
- Galatians 2:20 (NIV): “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
