Cancer – Can We Trust God?Näide

Full Surrender Isn’t Optional

For most of my life, I thought I had to carry everything myself. Childhood trauma taught me early on not to rely on anyone. If something needed to happen, I had to make it happen. I survived by depending on no one, not even God. I said I trusted Him, but deep down, I kept one hand on the controls. I gave Him 99% of my life, but I held onto the last 1%, just in case I needed to step in and steer things myself.

That illusion of control came crashing down when I was diagnosed with cancer. I quickly realized I couldn’t manage this. No backup plan could stop the disease from attacking my body. No amount of effort could restore my immune system. I was physically depleted, emotionally broken, and spiritually undone.

It was in that desperate moment that I came face-to-face with what it means to truly surrender. I had nothing left to offer, except myself. And that’s all God ever wanted.

Romans 12:1 (NIV) tells us that offering our lives, completely and without reservation, is our “true and proper worship.” Not just our talents, not just our church attendance or quiet time, but our very lives, our bodies, our futures. That’s what real trust looks like. Full surrender.

Jesus modeled this surrender in the Garden of Gethsemane. Hours before He would be betrayed and crucified, He fell to His knees in anguish and prayed, “Father, if You are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42 NIV). He could have walked away. He could have saved Himself. But He didn’t. He surrendered fully to the Father’s plan, and because of that, salvation was made possible for all of us.

Surrender isn’t passive. It’s not giving up, it’s giving over. When we surrender, we’re not resigning ourselves to failure. We’re aligning ourselves with the will of a loving God who knows more, sees farther, and loves deeper than we ever could.

Matthew 16:24 (NIV) records Jesus telling His disciples to “deny themselves and take up their cross.” Following Jesus isn’t a part-time gig. It requires letting go of our agendas and fully embracing His. That means we surrender our careers, our relationships, our comfort, our safety nets, even our pain. All of it.

When I finally surrendered, I didn’t fall apart. I fell into the hands of a God who had been waiting for me to let go. That surrender didn’t guarantee an easy road, but it did bring peace, freedom, and purpose. I stopped trying to be strong and started learning what it meant to be held.

Action Step:
Pray this aloud today: “God, I surrender everything, even what I’ve been trying to control. Help me trust You with 100% of my life. I lay it all at Your feet.”

Reflection Questions:

1. What’s one area of your life you’ve been holding back from God?
2. What would change if you surrendered that area fully to Him?