The Radical Call to Surrender Everything
The Radical Call to Surrender Everything
What would happen if we truly held nothing back from God? Not just our spare change or convenient time slots, but absolutely everything—our careers, our comfort, our carefully guarded plans, and yes, even our bank accounts?
This isn't a comfortable question. It's the kind of question that makes us squirm in our seats, suddenly finding our shoelaces fascinating. But it's also the question at the heart of one of the most challenging passages in Scripture.
The Widow's Mite: A Story That Turns Everything Upside Down
In Mark 12:41-44, we encounter a scene that should shake us to our core. Jesus sits watching people make their offerings at the temple treasury. Wealthy individuals parade past, depositing impressive sums that clink and clatter with the sound of abundance. Then comes a poor widow, barely noticed by anyone except Jesus. She drops in two small copper coins—worth less than a penny in today's currency.
What happens next defies all earthly logic. Jesus calls His disciples over and makes a startling declaration: this impoverished widow has given more than all the wealthy donors combined. How can this be? The answer cuts straight to the heart: "They all gave out of their wealth, but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."
Everything. All she had. Nothing held back.
If we're honest, that terrifies us. What if God asked us to empty our checking accounts? What if surrender meant actual sacrifice, not just the leftovers we can comfortably spare?
Working as Unto the Lord
The call to surrender everything extends far beyond our wallets. Colossians 3:17 lays down a radical standard: "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Whatever. That word haunts us with its completeness. Not some things. Not the easy things. Not just the Sunday morning things. Everything.
This principle transforms the mundane into the sacred. The job you drag yourself to on Monday morning? You're not really working for that demanding boss—you're working for God. The difficult conversation you're dreading? Every word can be spoken in Jesus' name. The task you're tempted to cut corners on when no one's watching? God sees.
Colossians 3:23-24 drives this home even harder: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
This changes everything. Suddenly, taking that extra-long lunch break when your employer pays you for thirty minutes isn't just stealing from the company—it's robbing God. Showing up late, doing sloppy work, or giving minimal effort isn't just unprofessional—it's spiritual compromise.
For young people entering the workforce, this is your secret weapon. Work as unto the Lord, and employers will trip over themselves to hire and promote you. Excellence driven by devotion to Christ is magnetic in a world of mediocrity.
When God Tests Our Surrender
Sometimes God asks us to release something, not because He ultimately wants us to give it up, but because He wants to know if we would. It's the Abraham and Isaac principle—God testing whether we'll hold anything back from Him.
There are moments when we sense God asking for something precious: a relationship, a dream, a possession, a plan we've invested everything into. The test isn't always about the thing itself; it's about whether our grip on it is tighter than our grip on God.
What happens when we pass that test? Often, God gives it back. "I just wanted to know you would surrender it," He seems to say. "Now you can have it, but this time you'll hold it with open hands instead of clenched fists."
The Power of Commitment
Proverbs 16:3 offers a powerful promise: "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans."
Notice the order: commitment comes first, establishment follows. We don't figure everything out and then invite God to bless our perfect plans. We commit our ideas, dreams, and efforts to Him first—messy, incomplete, and uncertain as they may be—and then He establishes them.
This doesn't mean every project succeeds exactly as we envision. It means that when we truly commit something to God, He takes ownership of the outcome. What He establishes, no person can tear down. What He opens, no one can shut.
Red tape, bureaucratic obstacles, impossible circumstances, critics who say it can't be done—none of these can stop what God has ordained. When we commit our plans to Him and surrender the results, we're partnering with the One who owns everything and controls all outcomes.
Eating, Drinking, and the Glory of God
First Corinthians 10:31 extends the call to surrender into the most ordinary aspects of life: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
Even eating. Even drinking. The most mundane, routine, necessary activities of human existence can be acts of worship when done for God's glory.
This isn't about legalism or creating elaborate rules about what's permissible. It's about intention and heart. If you believe God is pleased with something, do it for His glory. If you sense it dishonors Him, don't do it. Let your conscience be informed by Scripture and led by the Spirit.
True Prosperity: Contentment in All Circumstances
The prosperity gospel has twisted our understanding of what it means to be blessed. True prosperity isn't measured by the size of your house or the balance in your investment account. True prosperity is what the Apostle Paul described in Philippians 4:11-13: "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through him who gives me strength."
That's prosperity—the ability to say "I have enough" whether you have much or little, because Christ is your sufficiency.
The Challenge for 2026
As we step into a new year, the question confronts us again: What would happen if we truly surrendered all? What if we committed everything—our time, talents, treasures, and troubles—completely to Jesus?
The widow with two coins didn't starve. God doesn't call us to surrender so He can watch us suffer. He calls us to surrender so He can show us what He can do with a life completely yielded to Him.
The evidence is all around: God is faithful. He provides. He establishes. He blesses. But He asks for one thing in return—everything.
Will you give it?
What would happen if we truly held nothing back from God? Not just our spare change or convenient time slots, but absolutely everything—our careers, our comfort, our carefully guarded plans, and yes, even our bank accounts?
This isn't a comfortable question. It's the kind of question that makes us squirm in our seats, suddenly finding our shoelaces fascinating. But it's also the question at the heart of one of the most challenging passages in Scripture.
The Widow's Mite: A Story That Turns Everything Upside Down
In Mark 12:41-44, we encounter a scene that should shake us to our core. Jesus sits watching people make their offerings at the temple treasury. Wealthy individuals parade past, depositing impressive sums that clink and clatter with the sound of abundance. Then comes a poor widow, barely noticed by anyone except Jesus. She drops in two small copper coins—worth less than a penny in today's currency.
What happens next defies all earthly logic. Jesus calls His disciples over and makes a startling declaration: this impoverished widow has given more than all the wealthy donors combined. How can this be? The answer cuts straight to the heart: "They all gave out of their wealth, but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."
Everything. All she had. Nothing held back.
If we're honest, that terrifies us. What if God asked us to empty our checking accounts? What if surrender meant actual sacrifice, not just the leftovers we can comfortably spare?
Working as Unto the Lord
The call to surrender everything extends far beyond our wallets. Colossians 3:17 lays down a radical standard: "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Whatever. That word haunts us with its completeness. Not some things. Not the easy things. Not just the Sunday morning things. Everything.
This principle transforms the mundane into the sacred. The job you drag yourself to on Monday morning? You're not really working for that demanding boss—you're working for God. The difficult conversation you're dreading? Every word can be spoken in Jesus' name. The task you're tempted to cut corners on when no one's watching? God sees.
Colossians 3:23-24 drives this home even harder: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
This changes everything. Suddenly, taking that extra-long lunch break when your employer pays you for thirty minutes isn't just stealing from the company—it's robbing God. Showing up late, doing sloppy work, or giving minimal effort isn't just unprofessional—it's spiritual compromise.
For young people entering the workforce, this is your secret weapon. Work as unto the Lord, and employers will trip over themselves to hire and promote you. Excellence driven by devotion to Christ is magnetic in a world of mediocrity.
When God Tests Our Surrender
Sometimes God asks us to release something, not because He ultimately wants us to give it up, but because He wants to know if we would. It's the Abraham and Isaac principle—God testing whether we'll hold anything back from Him.
There are moments when we sense God asking for something precious: a relationship, a dream, a possession, a plan we've invested everything into. The test isn't always about the thing itself; it's about whether our grip on it is tighter than our grip on God.
What happens when we pass that test? Often, God gives it back. "I just wanted to know you would surrender it," He seems to say. "Now you can have it, but this time you'll hold it with open hands instead of clenched fists."
The Power of Commitment
Proverbs 16:3 offers a powerful promise: "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans."
Notice the order: commitment comes first, establishment follows. We don't figure everything out and then invite God to bless our perfect plans. We commit our ideas, dreams, and efforts to Him first—messy, incomplete, and uncertain as they may be—and then He establishes them.
This doesn't mean every project succeeds exactly as we envision. It means that when we truly commit something to God, He takes ownership of the outcome. What He establishes, no person can tear down. What He opens, no one can shut.
Red tape, bureaucratic obstacles, impossible circumstances, critics who say it can't be done—none of these can stop what God has ordained. When we commit our plans to Him and surrender the results, we're partnering with the One who owns everything and controls all outcomes.
Eating, Drinking, and the Glory of God
First Corinthians 10:31 extends the call to surrender into the most ordinary aspects of life: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
Even eating. Even drinking. The most mundane, routine, necessary activities of human existence can be acts of worship when done for God's glory.
This isn't about legalism or creating elaborate rules about what's permissible. It's about intention and heart. If you believe God is pleased with something, do it for His glory. If you sense it dishonors Him, don't do it. Let your conscience be informed by Scripture and led by the Spirit.
True Prosperity: Contentment in All Circumstances
The prosperity gospel has twisted our understanding of what it means to be blessed. True prosperity isn't measured by the size of your house or the balance in your investment account. True prosperity is what the Apostle Paul described in Philippians 4:11-13: "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through him who gives me strength."
That's prosperity—the ability to say "I have enough" whether you have much or little, because Christ is your sufficiency.
The Challenge for 2026
As we step into a new year, the question confronts us again: What would happen if we truly surrendered all? What if we committed everything—our time, talents, treasures, and troubles—completely to Jesus?
The widow with two coins didn't starve. God doesn't call us to surrender so He can watch us suffer. He calls us to surrender so He can show us what He can do with a life completely yielded to Him.
The evidence is all around: God is faithful. He provides. He establishes. He blesses. But He asks for one thing in return—everything.
Will you give it?
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