03/15/2025
Retirement and Surrender
Psalm 73:25-26 – “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
In the months before retirement, at least 10 people extended their congratulations and a variation of “Now you can do whatever you want!” I think I began to grasp on to that sentiment. Yes! I can do whatever I want! Visions of long stretches of time to read or dabble in hobbies floated around in my mind. But, reality set in even after a year had passed that those long stretches of time are few and far between. There are endless projects to do on the house, the regular cleaning, laundry, etc., thrown in with the precious opportunities of caring for my grandchildren. I had to adjust my thinking.
Rather than grasping on to “my time,” I had to go back to some basics in my relationship with the Lord. Just because I had retired from my ministry job, did not mean I retired from the Christian life and ministry however God wanted to use me. Early on in my life, I surrendered myself to do whatever, wherever, and whenever God wanted. As I look at my life now, I need to make sure that I keep the same open hand of surrender. I meant it then and I mean it now. As I surrender to Him, He enables me to love my husband, family, and others in His strength. He enables me to serve Him better. He is my highest desire. He loves me. My surrender is safe in Him.
