"I Give Up"

Perhaps Winston Churchill's most famous speech was his shortest. He stood and said, "Never give in. Never, never, never, never, never give in." I deeply admire and respect his sentiment in this speech. His call to perseverance is one we all need to be reminded of in this fallen world where pain, injustice, selfishness and out right evil demand our daily attention. However, I am learning that sometimes the most deeply spiritual step I can take is to just give up. Perhaps you can relate to some of my prayers to this end...

"Father, I give up on depending only on myself. I need you."

"Father, I give up trying to please everyone. I as an imperfect person will never be able to please imperfect people."

"Father, I give up trying to control that which is out of my control. I can control my feelings and behaviors and that of no one else."

"Father, I give up trying to be perfect. Even on my best days my judgments will not always be perfect, my words will not always come across the right way and my actions will not always be received as I intended."

"Father, I give up my right to demand my rights. Who am I? You are God, not I. You know better than I and if what you want is different than what I want then who am I to try to tell you otherwise."

"Father, I give up my right to excuse sin in my life. Whether my sin is to do wrong or not to do the good you tell me to do, it is sin. Sin is nothing less than shaking an angry fist in your face and it always separates me from you. I need you more than my sin."

"Father, I give up my permission to have a negative attitude toward life and others. It is easy to let what others do or say or what life sends my way to give me permission to be negative, but in you I have permission to give praise and thanksgiving in all circumstances."

"Father, I give up putting my security in possessions and money. There is no such thing as financial or job security. What we have today can be gone tomorrow."

"Father, I give up my need to hold a grudge. My unforgiveness does nothing but keep me imprisoned."

"Father, I give up any justification to ever not see everyday as your precious gift. One day life will come to an abrupt end. I would rather live each day living for what matters in death-- faith, family and Friends-- than get to the end and wish I had."

You see, I have found that while there is a time to hang on, there is a time to give up. Is God inviting you to give up in any way today? Resist the temptation to fight him...just give up...and then don't be surprised when you see God come through! Its what Jesus taught us to pray in what we call the "Lord's Prayer"..."thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."