A Surrendered Heart - James 4:7

Submit yourselves, then, to God (James 4:7)

Dear Father,

Easy to say, but hard to do. There will be many times in the lives of these children that it will be clear what you want them to do, but their hearts will not want to do it. The instruction may be to forgive, or to submit to authority, or to stay in a marriage or any one of a number of things that the heart may not want to do. I pray that these children come to understand, though, that only in a surrendered heart will you work powerfully through them. As they surrender to you, to do your will even when they do not want to do it, they will experience your power working through them. Through a surrendered heart you can heal relationships. Through their surrendered heart you can guide them in their chosen vocation. Through their surrendered heart, you can comfort those who are downtrodden. And through their surrendered heart, you can draw others to you. Teach these children what it truly means to surrender. Pattern that surrender in their parents and spiritual mentors. Help them to search their own hearts for whatever they may be withholding from you and then give them the strength to loosen their grip on those things and attitudes as they more and more fully surrender to you.

Amen