Surrender.It seems like a word of weakness, when it is actually full of strength strength. I hear phrases like, “There’s freedom in surrender,” and I desire that freedom because freedom sounds so much better that licking my wounds and looking at scars from the past and present worries and stresses. So with a desire to release stress and pain, I’ve found a few ways that help me surrender.

I surrender.

1. Learn what you do and don’t control.

   It’s easy to get lost trying to control outcomes when, in fact, there’s very little in your control. My mentor, Rhonda Shasteen, taught me there are only three things in your control, your words, your thoughts, and your actions. The rest is under someone else’s control. When I consider that, it provides a realistic point of view of where you need to focus your energy.

2. For example, I have a very strict ketogenic diet to help me fight epilepsy. The diet can be fun and is quite often a pain. In response to the inconveniences, I think that the only thing I have control over there is choosing foods to eat while staying within the guidelines of the diet. I can choose delicious foods, enjoy shopping for new things and cooking new recipes. I can make up my mind to no grow weary in doing the diet. Outside of that, there’s nothing I control. I can’t make a decision to stop having seizures. All I can do is work with my doctors and do what they say until we find a working solution. When I consider that, I find a lot of relief from pressure to fix it by myself.

3. Trust in Surrender.

   When life is spinning out of control; words, thoughts and actions also become hard to control. It’s important to choose trust in these times because trust allows you to separate yourself from the things you don’t control. You can choose to trust that the things outside of your control are part of the plan for your life. Sometimes, it helps to think about the fact that everything will be all right because, really, it always has turned out that way. There were bumps and bruises along the way, but things tend to turn out fine.

4. Find Freedom in Surrender.

   One you’ve accepted what you do and don’t control and trust that things are meant to happen that way, release the need to control the things you can’t and release them. I believe God has ultimate control over the things I can’t control,. No matter where you believe things out of your control are managed, you can release them there. Ultimately, you’ll find freedom from trying to control everything around you that you truly cannot control.

5. Repeat

   Keep in mind that surrender is a lot like forgiveness in that you will probably have to do it over and over again. I haven’t found that it’s a one and done experience, and I’m sure after a while it will feel natural. I still haven’t mastered it,  but I’m hopeful these things aI’ve learned in the last year of my life will continue to help.

Surrender you stresses today because you can!