At first glance, surrender seems to be a cowardly action. From the dawn of civilization people have frowned upon surrender in battle. It was more honorable to fight to the last man rather than giving the enemy the satisfaction of victory. However there is another way to look at the concept of surrender– as a virtue.
Surrender is letting go of what you can not control and giving it to God. Most people want to believe that they are able to control their lives and carry everything by their own strength, but eventually they get to the breaking point and feel that it is impossible to go on. That is where surrender comes in (and hopefully it comes before the breaking point). Surrender is an act of courage and humility.
It takes extreme courage to tell God that everything is in his hands. Every fear, doubt, hope, and dream that is in the deepest part of one’s soul. To give that over– it is terrifying. Someone else taking all that and giving back– who knows what?! However, the one thing people need to remember is that in the face of the unknown, God is good and he will lay before us a path more beautiful than we could ever imagine on our own. He gives the opportunities, we just have to take the step.
In The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Mr. Beaver is talking about Aslan and Susan asks if he is quite safe. Mr. Beaver replies, “Safe? Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.”
Senior history major, Trishy Blume, has this to say about surrender. “A lot of what surrendering is, is a trusting in God and His will and letting Him guide your life. Overall your life will be more peaceful if you surrender to God.”
Peace is something that is hard to come by in modern society. One’s day to day life is filled with things to do, places to be, and people to connect with. It can feel overwhelming and make one unnecessarily anxious. The key to peace is through surrender. Doing what one can, but leaving the rest to God.
So.. How do you apply this virtue to the busyness of life at school?
“It’s not all in your hands. Education is about how much you can learn and through that become an independent thinker.” It does not require perfection, which is a relief, because not one of us is perfect. In the midst of a busy life it helps to talk with friends, enjoy nature, and strengthen your talents.