Giving Up

   We started watching The Dog Whisperer. We watched him tame a very dangerous red zone dog, one that just wants to kill. He calmly stayed in control the whole time while he was dominating the dog until the dog surrendered to him. It was fascinating to watch. 

   So I tried it out on my puppies. I learned we have two dominating puppies, but by me pinning them, they placed themselves under my authority. My husband was amazed at how well the dogs obeyed even after one training session. Then during play time with the dogs, I watched our older dog Brody, do the exact thing I was doing to them to get them to submit. It was so amazing to understand what was going on. Brody had to repeatedly pin Max to get him to surrender. Max would finally relax, Brody would ease up; Max would test the boundaries, and Brody had to pin him again! This went on for a good hour. Even though the top dog weighs slightly less than I do, I was still able to pin him very easily. He knows who's boss around here. 

   I couldn't help but see how much I am like those stubborn puppies. 

   Following Jesus is all about surrender. That's the only way to know Him. That's the only way to salvation. 

It's a lesson in the course of God's Sovereignty. That topic seems to make people uneasy. Wrestling with God. It's so beautiful. God will win. He always does. Give up. Relax. Stop fighting. You are not in control. You never were. You never will be. This goes for every single area of your life. That area you're struggling with right now? That area you area you are fearful about? Give up. Relax. You are not in control; God is. 

   This week we started unit studies for homeschooling. The goal is to go through the history of the world throughout the years, picking a topic to study that relates to the time period we are going through. Since the kiddos are new at this, we are starting at the beginning. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" Genesis 1:1. Jesus still holds all of creation together, Colossians 1:17 "And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." We sang together "He's Got the Whole World In His Hands" We sang all the verses, and made up personal ones. He's got Tess, Kaia and Jasper in His hands... He's got learning to read in His hands... He's got United States of America in His hands...He's got the whole world in His hands. 

That was powerful for me. Everything I worry about, that means I'm still trying to take control. I don't have to worry about something that God already has control over. Give up. 

   Salvation. 

   Give up. 

   Where you spend eternity in not in your control. Give up. Let God be your judge. You can't find God. God finds you. That's what sets Christianity apart from religion. There is Nothing you can do to save yourself. Give up. Surrender. There's Nothing you can do to save your husband or your kids from anything that plagues them. It's not about how you can help them; it's all about Jesus. God is bigger than you can ever imagine. God doesn't fit in a box. If you could figure Him out, He would cease to be God. Let it go.

   Yes, He made us with a free will. We are not robots; we make choices. 

   Romans 8:8 "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." 

   Galatians 5:19-25 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

   To sum it up, anything I do does not please God. Only the Spirit pleases God. Mark Driscoll sums up predestination this way, "Predestination: You chose hell, God chose heaven. You chose damnation, God chose salvation. You chose to run away, he chose to run after you." 

   Man cannot choose God. Man is an enemy of God. Romans 8:7 "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither can be." 

   Just like my puppy struggling for his freedom until he finally surrendered. We fight God for control. God's going to win. He created you. He's way more powerful than you. You don't stand a chance against God. Stop fighting. Let God work. 

   Even in the bad, He's weaving it all together. Trust Him. Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord."

   The topic of God's Sovereignty makes people uneasy. Man being sinful and thoroughly corrupt makes people uncomfortable. For this simple reason. We think we are bigger than we really are. It hurts our pride. We are still fighting for control. 

   But yet, God came down to us while we were fighting Him. God pursued us with an everlasting love while we were so arrogant in our sin. God wanted us anyway. Romans 5:8.

   Can you see how much God loves you? He loves you like no one else can. There is not a soul on earth that has hurt more than God has hurt. Yet, in His hurt and pain, He loves us so fiercely. He opens out His arms with the blood of Jesus Christ. 

   Only God can please God. Jesus is God. Jesus pleased God for you. Colossians 1:19-23 "For it pleased the Father that in him should all the fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things to himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel."

   Moms, we struggle with God's sovereignty so much. We are known for worry. We say worry is our job.

   We worry about everything. We worry about when our cycle is going to come. We worry about the baby breathing. We worry about our toddler climbing the stairs. We worry about eating gluten. We worry about our husband coming home. We worry about needing a bigger vehicle. 

   Give up. 

   God is bigger. 

   Yes, we do what we can do; but in the end, it's not up to us. God uses us. But it's not because of us. 

   If my mischievous little puppies ever get properly trained; it's not because of my great training skills, or the Dog Whisperer. It's because of God.