Have you ever found yourself resisting advice, keeping people at arm’s length, or feeling more comfortable relying on your own judgment than accepting the guidance of others? I certainly have.
If you had known me years ago,
you might have described me as reserved, difficult to read, or even
unapproachable. More than one person
told me, “You’re hard to figure out.” Looking
back, I realize that beneath my quiet exterior was a heart that often wanted to
remain in control. My attitude could
easily become, “My way or the highway.”
Thankfully, God wasn’t content
to leave me that way.
As I have grown in my
relationship with Jesus Christ, He has patiently begun reshaping my heart. The more I surrender the reins of my life to
Him, the more I discover the freedom that comes from trusting His leadership
instead of insisting on my own. That
transformation has not happened overnight, nor has it always been easy, but it
has been one of God’s greatest blessings in my life.
Every believer experiences a
struggle between the old nature and the new life we receive in Christ. Learning to “put off” the old self and “put
on” the new is a lifelong process. Left
to ourselves, we often return to familiar habits and attitudes. Yet God has not left us to fight that battle
alone. The Holy Spirit faithfully works
within us, gently convicting, encouraging, and strengthening us as He molds us
into the image of Christ.
When we truly surrender the
reins to Christ, change begins to take place.
We become more willing to listen, more open to wise counsel, quicker to
extend grace, and easier for others to approach. The Holy Spirit softens the rough edges that
once defined us and gradually replaces them with the character of Christ.
I have seen this change in my
own life.
By nature, I am still a quiet
and reserved person. God has not changed
my personality, but He is changing my heart.
He is teaching me to become more attentive to His voice, more sensitive
to the needs of others, and more willing to step beyond my comfort zone
whenever He calls. My prayer is that
those who read these words will sense not merely my sincerity, but the
unmistakable evidence of God’s transforming work.
God created each of us with
unique personalities, but none of us has reached the point where we no longer
need His refining hand. Patiently, and
often in ways I never expected, He continues revealing areas where I need to
grow. The man I am today is not the man
I was before Christ saved me. Looking
back, I see two very different lives—one directed by self and the other
increasingly surrendered to the Savior.
Every step I take toward the
Lord strengthens my confidence in His faithfulness. He continually reminds me to persevere, to
remain steadfast in the faith, and to keep giving myself more completely to Him
and to those He places in my path.
The truth is, I am far from
perfect. Only One has ever walked this
earth in perfect righteousness—Jesus Christ.
Yet I stand amazed at the grace God has poured into my life. His patience has never failed me, His mercy
has never been exhausted, and His love has never wavered.
Even now, there are moments
when I find myself tightening my grip on the reins once again. Part of me still wants to maintain
control. But experience has taught me
that God’s plans are always better than my own.
Every time I loosen my grip and place the reins back into His hands, I
discover anew that His direction is wiser, His timing is perfect, and His
purposes are always for my good and for His glory.
The psalmist wrote, “The
steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and He delights in his way”
(Psalm 37:23). That promise has become
deeply personal to me. I trust that the
Lord goes before me, preparing hearts and opening doors to share the hope of
Jesus Christ and the message of salvation with those He brings across my path.
The longer I walk with the
Lord, the greater my desire becomes to serve Him faithfully. As I grow in His grace, my purpose becomes
clearer, my vision sharper, and my appreciation for His work deeper. Whatever fruit comes from my life belongs
entirely to Him.
I’ve learned that surrender is
not a single decision but a daily choice.
Every morning presents another opportunity to release the reins and
trust the One who has never led me astray.
After all, the safest place
for our lives has never been in our own hands—it has always been in His.
Written by,
Papa Boyd
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