Will power v. surrender

[Edward_H]

I have learned – the hard way – that our own will power can never be relied upon when it comes to avoiding sin. Every time I’ve tried to will power my way out of sin, I end up sinning anyway. And the reason for that is this: Think of it as a Chinese finger trap. The more you pull on the trap to get yoru fingers out, the tighter and more inescapable it becomes. But as soon as you stop fighting and instead draw your fingers together, you can escape. That’s surrender. I have a problem with lust and impurity, and recently have started to pray whenever I’m triggered “Lord, I surrender my right to lust after that person to you” and suddenly the urge is lessened. It doesn’t always go away, but if I anxiety and stress over it, or try to will it away, it gets stronger.

Hope this helps!

That’s a great description. Thank you.

 

[Edward_H]

Maybe we use all our gifts, our intellect, our body, our will to abandon ourselves to God.

God gave us these things to help us come to Him.

Some people look at abandonment as going passive. But we are called to be saints. Saints aren’t dormant or passive in the “no effort” sense.

The Chinese finger cuff example by Pat Payne above requires an active approach to figure things out vs just brute force.

I thing God wants us to be active children…doing all we can, but knowing that we’re just children, but His children!

 

[JRKH]

Maybe we use all our gifts, our intellect, our body, our will to abandon ourselves to God.

God gave us these things to help us come to Him.

Some people look at abandonment as going passive. But we are called to be saints. Saints aren’t dormant or passive in the “no effort” sense.

The Chinese finger cuff example by Pat Payne above requires an active approach to figure things out vs just brute force.

I thing God wants us to be active children…doing all we can, but knowing that we’re just children, but His children!