21 Days to a Victorious LifeShembull

Day 7 - He wants all of you For such a long time, I thought giving God most of me was good enough. I thought since I prayed, attended church, and tried to do what is right, that was enough for God. But God wants all of us, not just a part. Partial obedience = disobedience What does it mean to give God your all? It means to stop clinching your fists and to stretch out your hands to God. For so long, I put people, relationships, and careers over God. I thought if I was a little obedient, or if I took a shortcut, I would still receive the promises of God. But, when God says obey, He will not settle for partial obedience. Therefore, when I fell short; He convicted and corrected me. But, whenever I was obedient, God blessed me beyond my belief, read Isaiah 1:19. Surrender When you decide to give God your all, you must surrender every area of your life to Him. Even when it does not make sense to me, I have learned to obey Him. You know what amazes me? Every time I let go of something, He usually gives it right back, but with lagniappe. Lagniappe is a word often used in New Orleans, which means a little something extra! Obedience is better than sacrifice I love the passage, Genesis 22, in the Bible that speaks about Abraham preparing to sacrifice his only son. As soon as he prepares his son for sacrifice, God exclaims in Genesis 22:12, “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” He said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." The angel of the Lord proclaimed in Genesis 22:17-18, “I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars...your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." God is no different in our lives. The moment you follow Him, surrender, and let go, God promises He will bless you. You have to trust that God knows what is best for you. Whatever isn’t working in your life, you must let it go. When you surrender and align your plans with His, it may hurt for a moment, but God will turn your sadness into joy and give you strength according to Nehemiah 8:10. You will get to a place and wonder, why didn’t I trust God first? He will give you more than your heart can ever imagine. I promise. You will gain peace, which the world cannot give to you.