Oh, Sweet Surrender!

Who would have thought that the Lord would use my black Labrador retriever to teach me a life-changing lesson?  Well, that’s exactly what happened on a Thursday afternoon when a large “bully-dog” barged into my yard, ready to take command.  Reuben, our timid 6-year-old Lab, had never been much of a guard dog, but in this instance, I just knew that he would step up and protect our home and my four daughters who were playing on our swing set.  Disappointment was getting ready to set in because instead of barking loudly and chasing the “bully-dog” off of our property, Reuben immediately laid down at the dog’s feet and rolled onto his side, obviously surrendering to the bully.  At that moment, the “bully-dog” sniffed Reuben for a few seconds and then turned and left the boundaries of my yard.  I didn’t understand what I had just witnessed.  Upon further research into the behavior of dogs, I discovered that when a dog realizes that it can’t win in a fight, it will often submit to the stronger dog by lying down at the dog’s feet and exposing its vulnerable throat and belly to the aggressive dog above it.  In this position, I clearly understood that Reuben could have been fatally injured in that moment, but interestingly, his submissive behavior was the very reason he was spared. Surrender saved his life.

This was a poignant lesson for me.  At that time, we were in the process of selling our home and moving to a new location nearly five hours away due to my husband’s new job.  The deepest recesses of my heart held rebellious thoughts against this move.  Although I tried to put on a happy face and talk a positive game, I was definitely not thrilled… and honestly, a bit bitter… about this change of events in our life.  I did NOT want to move.  I did NOT want to have to start over again in a new place where I knew no one.  Instead, I wanted to stand my ground, protect my home, and keep my family in this comfortable place where we were loved and dearly loved others.  However through the exchange of those two dogs on that Thursday afternoon, the Lord revealed to me the sin that was taking root in my heart. He showed me that wanting things my way and on my own terms was not the best thing for me.  Matter of fact, through Reuben’s near death situation, He reminded me that my way often leads to chaos and destruction.  What the Lord wanted from me was to do just as Reuben did… SURRENDER.  Surrender and trust in Him and His plan.

That afternoon I knew deep in my soul what I needed to do. I needed to heed to the Holy Spirit’s urging to totally submit my will to His perfect will.  I knew that He must increase and I must decrease (John 3:30). I knew I needed to follow my dog’s example and lay all my wants and expectations at the feet of my Savior, surrendering them fully to Him, thus allowing Him to prune my selfish desires and transform this pride-filled heart into one that could be used by Him. The Lord reminded me that He was not a bully, but rather He has proven over and over to be a loving Father in Whom I could trust… my good God who has always had my best interests at heart… my precious Heavenly Father who has never let me down and certainly wasn’t going to start now.

The dog incident that Thursday afternoon occurred over two years ago, and today, I can clearly see how the Lord was so kind to rescue me from myself that day.  Through the Holy Spirit’s persistent prodding to surrender to Him, I have now witnessed that His plans for us were so much better than our own.  If I had not released my grip on the former things and surrendered my will to the Lord, I can now see the blessings my family and I would have missed!  Oh, how will we ever receive new things from Him when we cling so tightly to the old?  Yes, I am still learning daily to hold loosely to all the things of this world, but it’s getting easier and easier because I know that “the world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17).

As children of the Most High God, we are created to surrender to Christ’s power and allow it to work within us (Col. 1:29).  And as He works with His wonder-working power, we can wholeheartedly trust that He knows what is best for us and will work all things for our good (Rom. 8:28).  Only by laying all things at His feet and fully surrendering to Him will we see God carry out His will for our lives.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

Emily Byrd

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