Humility and Surrender
Today I attended my last service at The Vine, where I've been going for a little over a year. I'm very thankful that God led me to such an awesome place, and I've definitely been given a lot through my time there. The leadership there has challenged me week after week, and while I can't point to a huge change or anything, I've been pushed to step up and take my relationship with God to another level.
Fittingly, tonight's sermon was a final challenge for me. As part of a series on qualities that would be expected from either godly men or godly women, this message was aimed at men and centered around humility. According to the speaker, humility is the heart of worship. Humility means lowering ourselves and lifting up God. Humility means taking the attitude spoken of in Phillippians 2, where Paul tells the members of the church to look not just to their own needs but also to the needs of others, considering others as more important than yourself. Our society values status and possessions and celebrity and influence, and while we should not necessarily avoid these things, we should recognize that they are given to us by God and for God, and we should be incredibly careful to avoid letting them define us or give us our sense of worth. Once again, that should come only from God.
As awesome as I am, I know it's not about me. He's given me a lot, and I'm grateful for it. But I know he didn't provide all of this for me so that I could glorify myself. I am here to give back, to serve, to love, and to point to him. It's not about me. It's about him, and how I can give what he's given me back.
I'm starting medical school soon. It's going to be a scary transition. I'm walking into a completely new situation, and there's very little that I'm carrying with me. My bank account is empty. I'm romantically unattached. I don't have many possessions. I'm not in the middle of any projects or processes or any other ongoing things. Most of my friends will be pretty far away, and none of the reputation or social network I've built will carry over. I will be arriving at the doorstep of Western University, almost completely emptyhanded.
So how can I express humilty as I enter this new period? The answer is surrender. Strangely, in one of the first sermons I heard after graduating college, Francis Chan touched on this subject. His message was simple: the less you have to lose, the easier it is to surrender everything you have to God. The challenge he based on this, then, was for the young people in the congregation to submit to him now. Surrender before we begin to accumulate stuff. Before we attain status and achievement, before we have enough to hold on to that we start to wonder if God is worth letting go of it.
The message tonight echoed that. Let go. Don't seek to build yourself up. Seek whatever God wants. Obey him. Surrender everything. Don't hold back any area of your life, but trust him to take you where he wants you. Let your own desires and selfishness be put to death with Jesus, and live no longer, but let him live through you.
I... I need that surrender in my life. I need it in everything from the way I pray to the way I work to the way I spend time with my brothers and sisters. But praise God, he's been working on me. And right now, empty handed, I get to stand before him and say, thank you. Thank you for making this easy right now. Thank you for humbling me. Now help me to lift you up.
God is good.
...and now for something completely different!
Day 20: A song that you listen to when you’re angry
This one's pretty easy...
I don't think you're going to find a more pissed-off song than this. This used to be my go-to "I'm steamed and want to wallow in my anger" song, though I haven't been quite that angsty since about high school. I've always wanted to see this song used as the soundtrack to an angry training montage by a Darth Maul-type character. Preferably involving lots of things being broken and/or slashed with a double-bladed lightsaber. That would be sweet.
Songs that are much less likely to make you punch things:
Day 01: Your favorite song
Day 02: Your least favorite song
Day 03: A song that makes you happy
Day 04: A song that makes you sad
Day 05: A song that reminds you of someone
Day 06: A song that reminds you of somewhere
Day 07: A song that reminds you of a certain event
Day 08: A song that you know all the words to
Day 09: A song that you can dance to
Day 10: A song that makes you fall asleep
Day 11: A song from your favorite band
Day 12: A song from a band you hate
Day 13: A song that is a guilty pleasure
Day 14: A song that no one would expect you to love
Day 15: A song that describes you
Day 16: A song that you used to love but now hate
Day 17: A song that you hear often on the radio
Day 18: A song that you wish you heard on the radio
Day 19: A song from your favorite album
Day 20: A song that you listen to when you’re angry
Day 21: A song that you listen to when you’re happy
Day 22: A song that you listen to when you’re sad
Day 23: A song that you want to play at your wedding
Day 24: A song that you want to play at your funeral
Day 25: A song that makes you laugh
Day 26: A song that you can play on an instrument
Day 27: A song that you wish you could play
Day 28: A song that makes you feel guilty
Day 29: A song from your childhood
Day 30: Your favorite song at this time last year
Fittingly, tonight's sermon was a final challenge for me. As part of a series on qualities that would be expected from either godly men or godly women, this message was aimed at men and centered around humility. According to the speaker, humility is the heart of worship. Humility means lowering ourselves and lifting up God. Humility means taking the attitude spoken of in Phillippians 2, where Paul tells the members of the church to look not just to their own needs but also to the needs of others, considering others as more important than yourself. Our society values status and possessions and celebrity and influence, and while we should not necessarily avoid these things, we should recognize that they are given to us by God and for God, and we should be incredibly careful to avoid letting them define us or give us our sense of worth. Once again, that should come only from God.
As awesome as I am, I know it's not about me. He's given me a lot, and I'm grateful for it. But I know he didn't provide all of this for me so that I could glorify myself. I am here to give back, to serve, to love, and to point to him. It's not about me. It's about him, and how I can give what he's given me back.
I'm starting medical school soon. It's going to be a scary transition. I'm walking into a completely new situation, and there's very little that I'm carrying with me. My bank account is empty. I'm romantically unattached. I don't have many possessions. I'm not in the middle of any projects or processes or any other ongoing things. Most of my friends will be pretty far away, and none of the reputation or social network I've built will carry over. I will be arriving at the doorstep of Western University, almost completely emptyhanded.
So how can I express humilty as I enter this new period? The answer is surrender. Strangely, in one of the first sermons I heard after graduating college, Francis Chan touched on this subject. His message was simple: the less you have to lose, the easier it is to surrender everything you have to God. The challenge he based on this, then, was for the young people in the congregation to submit to him now. Surrender before we begin to accumulate stuff. Before we attain status and achievement, before we have enough to hold on to that we start to wonder if God is worth letting go of it.
The message tonight echoed that. Let go. Don't seek to build yourself up. Seek whatever God wants. Obey him. Surrender everything. Don't hold back any area of your life, but trust him to take you where he wants you. Let your own desires and selfishness be put to death with Jesus, and live no longer, but let him live through you.
I... I need that surrender in my life. I need it in everything from the way I pray to the way I work to the way I spend time with my brothers and sisters. But praise God, he's been working on me. And right now, empty handed, I get to stand before him and say, thank you. Thank you for making this easy right now. Thank you for humbling me. Now help me to lift you up.
God is good.
...and now for something completely different!
Day 20: A song that you listen to when you’re angry
This one's pretty easy...
Click to viewI don't think you're going to find a more pissed-off song than this. This used to be my go-to "I'm steamed and want to wallow in my anger" song, though I haven't been quite that angsty since about high school. I've always wanted to see this song used as the soundtrack to an angry training montage by a Darth Maul-type character. Preferably involving lots of things being broken and/or slashed with a double-bladed lightsaber. That would be sweet.
Songs that are much less likely to make you punch things:
Day 01: Your favorite song
Day 02: Your least favorite song
Day 03: A song that makes you happy
Day 04: A song that makes you sad
Day 05: A song that reminds you of someone
Day 06: A song that reminds you of somewhere
Day 07: A song that reminds you of a certain event
Day 08: A song that you know all the words to
Day 09: A song that you can dance to
Day 10: A song that makes you fall asleep
Day 11: A song from your favorite band
Day 12: A song from a band you hate
Day 13: A song that is a guilty pleasure
Day 14: A song that no one would expect you to love
Day 15: A song that describes you
Day 16: A song that you used to love but now hate
Day 17: A song that you hear often on the radio
Day 18: A song that you wish you heard on the radio
Day 19: A song from your favorite album
Day 20: A song that you listen to when you’re angry
Day 21: A song that you listen to when you’re happy
Day 22: A song that you listen to when you’re sad
Day 23: A song that you want to play at your wedding
Day 24: A song that you want to play at your funeral
Day 25: A song that makes you laugh
Day 26: A song that you can play on an instrument
Day 27: A song that you wish you could play
Day 28: A song that makes you feel guilty
Day 29: A song from your childhood
Day 30: Your favorite song at this time last year