Surrender in Covid-19

Surrender – it’s an interesting word. What comes to mind when you think of surrender? For me, my mind flashes to action movies and crime shows I’ve seen. The bad guy is on the run, trying to keep from getting caught by police, until he finds himself trapped in an alley and with nowhere else to run, lifts his hands in surrender and is then taken into custody. The person gives up. In another storyline, we’ll see someone taken against their will who surrenders to their captor in an attempt to stay alive (and of course break free later in the movie). In most Hollywood versions, surrender is not good. It seems to almost be in direct opposition of our instincts doesn’t it? To surrender is to give up. To be held against our will. To be forced to do something we don’t want to do. 

Surrendering my life, my plans, my emotions, that’s not something I’d say has come naturally to me. Often as a child I was described as “stubborn”. Kinder descriptions would be “determined” or “driven”. I had things I wanted to get done. I wanted to succeed. Not doing something I said I was going to do, it didn’t happen often, mostly because it felt so awful when it did. Not completing something or achieving what I said I would do, left me feeling like a failure. That somehow, I had broken a promise or was less worthy because I didn’t get done what I said I would. 

Having children was my first real lesson in surrendering my plans. Anyone who has had little ones, even watching or caring for them, finds out pretty quickly that plans are exactly that. Something we intend to do but not necessarily what happens. I remember one morning as a single mom, having gotten all three kiddos up, dressed, fed, dropped off at day care, driving 90 minutes to work, only to get to my desk and get a phone call that someone had just gotten sick. Have you ever received that call? With my purse strap still on my shoulder, computer bag still in hand, I turned right back around, exited the door I had just come in, the day now headed in a very direction than I had planned. As parents there are countless examples of plans that get changed and yet it still feels like we’re in control because we’re calling the shots in the situation. 

Covid-19 has made it so that every single one of us, whether we’re single, married, children, no children, young or old, has had the feeling of control taken away. More than six months into shelter-in-place orders, the future is still unclear. Will it get worse or better? When will kids go back to school full time? When will offices reopen? When will face masks no longer be part of our essential items when going outside the home? Surrender in this season hasn’t been easy. What I’ve come to realize though, is that not surrendering, holding tightly to my plans or how I’d like things to go, is causing even more stress and fatigue. 

Whether or not you believe in God, I submit that surrendering is something we can all do in this season to give ourselves a break and bring some relief. For those at home with a to-do list a mile long, what if we surrendered that list to the essentials? That success is no longer determined by whether or not we get everything done we wanted to get done, but rather getting done what the day would allow and celebrating the little wins? Your child whose tears you were able to dry, that’s a win. Your friend or your spouse that you were able to encourage and bring some light into their day? That’s a huge win. For yourself, taking 15 minutes, taking even 5 minutes, to go for a walk, sit outside, to pause and be. That’s a win. For all of us, to surrender that not everything will get done or go as planned, and that’s ok, that it will all be ok. What if we exchanged that stress for peace? Exchanged the feeling of frustration and disappointment for surrender and peace? What if we looked at what we did achieve in the day instead of what we didn’t? No matter how big or small it is, let’s celebrate it. 

The truth of the matter is, we’ve never been in control. Our plans have always been subject to change. Tomorrow is never promised. The one thing we do have control of, is how we respond to what we’re being faced with. My encouragement to you, is to surrender. For those who believe in God, I encourage you to pray and ask God what he wants you to surrender and what he wants to give you in its place. For those who may not believe in God or who have never prayed before, I encourage you with the same. If you have doubts that prayer might not work, that’s ok. I encourage you to try anyway. There’s nothing to lose and only peace to gain. And if you’re still hesitant, will you allow me to pray for you? The prayer I’m praying for you:

“Father, I believe in you. I trust your love and your plans. I thank you for who you’ve brought to this post today and for the opportunity to pray over them. In Jesus name I bless them with hope, with health, with joy. I pray your angels surround them and care for them. I pray they tangibly feel your peace no matter what the day brings. May they know just how wide and how deep your love for them is. I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.” 

If we can pray for you more specifically, simply visit calvarylg.com/prayer.

Praying blessings of peace, hope, surrender and joy.