Surrendered

Last month I started following a new television show called Prison Break. I had seen a few episodes before and really interested in seeing how it all worked out. I am into the second season of the show and I have seen people escape prison, run for their lives, be caught, get hurt, and die. Families and friends have been harmed and plans have fallen through. Each episode is left with a vital cliffhanger that pushes you to want to know what happens. The escaped cons have lied, cheated, and hurt those they love and care for all because of a huge conspiracy to cover something bigger than these men. In the initial plans to escape, the brains of the operation only intended for three people to be involved. Needless to say, after all was said and done, eight men we now placed in the plot of escaping a federal prison. If this show was any closer to the life of our own, some of us would be the main character. 

How many times do you find yourself trapped in a system or plot that you do not want to be a part of? Stumbling on something that you do not want to know yet, in that, you see hope and a way out. As intriguing as it is to watch a television show that depicts the life of fictional characters, i see myself far to easily in the story. Working with others to escape a place that i do not deserve to be in, running for my life, hiding out to avoid detection and seeking to know the truth behind something bigger than myself. 

Now in no way am i a prisoner of a jail, prison, or penitentiary, But I can see the world being a place of bondage, regret, and sin. You see, we are all born into a world full of corruption, fowl play, and sin. We run into things, fight for things, and change things, so that we blend in with those around us. The world says everything will be OK and that is is all about us. We want to fit into a society that accepts us! We poke, prod, push, and rise up in our own power, to be above everything and everyone. 

... back to the show! There have been moments throughout when the cons have planned and foreshadowed their future freedom once they arrive at a certain place. Catching a ride, a plane, meeting a person, grabbing money or a car. They inch closer through each episode and the phrase, "Soon we can all stop running, and it will all be over soon" echos countless number of times. I laugh every time because I know there are still more seasons of the show and if that were the case, the show would be over. So I sit and watch these men run for their lives, their plans fail, and problems and people come against them. .....

Just like us, we run, we disguise, we fit in, we plan around, and we fail. Yet, today, as the word surrendered takes center stage, we as people have a choice. Everyday, we live in this world, we wake up, plan, put on some sort of outfit, and attempt to live out our lives. The challenge i believe, I personally am being led to take on is this surrendered lifestyle. Giving it all up, waiting to see what God does, and most importantly stop running. The word itself implies a willingness to give up and let go. A caught robber or fugitive, must at some point choose to surrender, fight, or die. Surrender to authority, fight to escape, or die. Sound vaguely familiar? Do you ever get tired of running? Many times we fight for escape and freedom in our own way, when Jesus tells those who are following him, in Luke chapter 9, that those who wish to seek Christ, they must deny themselves and pick up their cross and follow him. The truth about that statement is that in order to seek God, We must be surrendered to Him. Yes, there is an evil authority in this world, but upon surrendering to God we gain protection and life through the blood of Jesus.

Our pursuit of freedom should not and does not rest in how we can outwit and outlast the evil who chases us. It simply resides in the faith that the one we surrender to, has taken care of everything for us. Our plans, our fights, our freedoms. That in him we would no longer need to disguise ourselves to fit in or live in fear of outwitting the enemy who seeks to bring us down. Our pursuit of freedom, is and only can be through the cross of Jesus. It is only by him that we are set free, given hope, and no longer have to worry about the future not working out. We are then, saved and eternally rescued, able to live in freedom, and changed forever, by Gods grace and love for us.

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."Ephesians 2:4-7 ESV)

Potential

Potential! 

What is it? Is is a lifestyle? Is it a perspective? Is it something we can ever achieve? The word itself discusses the possibility of something more. It brings into conversation, the simple fact that their could be more out there "potentially," than we cant see. Phrases like, "You have potential" "Well this is potentially possible" In fact the very definition of the word is, possible. So what does all this mean? Does it mean I can do whatever I want or desire? Can I live the life that I want? Do I have potential? We throw around the word or phrase that in all honesty, brings some sort of the word "Hope" into the picture., People say it about relationships or they use it as an outlook gauge to see future success. Potentially, it also brings in another word as well. IF! 

IF this all works the way I want it to, "Potentially" I will do this or that. That is a hard word to throw around. I truly believe that as we even acknowledge the word, IF, a simple transition word, doubt and disorder begins to enter into our thought process for all situations  Instantly, the potential we felt we had, is now hinging on the IF factor that everything will work out. What happens IF it doesn't? Where are you then? Does your potential increase or decrease even when the IF fails to happen your way?

The problem that many people, myself included, run into, is that we take our circumstances and put value and worth on them working out. We negate Hope, because of potential, and we doubt even more, because the IF did or did not come true! Thus, this process of thinking tends to take us on a path of confusion and hurt. If only it had gone this way. What IF this didn't happen or maybe I could have done it differently. It simply becomes, all about us and how we abuse, misuse, and confuse, not only our potential that we create and see, but the very potential God has for us as well. Feelings get hurt, emotions run high, all because we believe that we could have done something different. Would you agree with that? Sometimes we should do something different than what we think we should do. 

When we fail, and we always fail at somethings, we begin to doubt the possibility of us ever succeeding in anything. I have seen this play out in not only in my family, but my friends as well. Doubt and hurt has become visibly seen by the failed potential and the IF that did not work. Isn't it crazy the people place so much Hope in potential that we create or design because of our own desires and selfishness?

The potential of our lives fails to ever exist when we fail to see our hope and purpose through HIS eyes. Do you know that God loves you? Do you know that He has a desire for you that only You can do.We as people should be striving and pushing to a place where we are seeking out God's potential for our lives. I believe that, when our thoughts shift from, "This could possibly work or has potential" to "God sees potential in me and I choose to draw closer to Him, so that He can use me," the IF becomes less of a life altering moment when it fails to fall our way.

Its not about US and what We see or hope we can do. It is about placing all of our potential, our life, in the hands of the master craftsmen named God Almighty, and allowing him to use Us how he desires. A rubber band has potential to be stretch and pulled to hold things together! A balloon has potential to expand and get bigger! A camera has the potential to take amazing pictures! The out come of any of those examples does not rest on the objects themselves, it rest in the hands of the one desiring to use them. 

God wants to use us, to our full potential. He designed us! He crafted us! We cannot allow our misuse of our  lives, effect or play apart in how God wants to use US in His kingdom. May God remind you today that He desires to USE YOU! He has a purpose FOR YOU! He sees potential IN YOU! 

Ephesians 2:10

¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.