I originally wrote this in 2021, but when I came across it I wanted to share it again.

I was spending time with the Lord today thinking about His sacrifice on the cross. I do not think we can ever really get a full picture of what all He endured. We try to picture it and think about it, but I cannot imagine the agony He suffered. And He did it for me, for you, for all of us. He was the most kind, gentle, loving person that has ever walked the earth, yet He was beat, laughed at, mocked, and killed…for us. He was love in the flesh, but people hated Him enough to want Him beaten and murdered.

While I was thinking about what He did for me my mind started to go to all of the times I took His death for granted. I did not look at Him in reverence and I wanted to do my own thing. Not that I was out living it up in the world, but I was walking in rebellion to Him. I was not laying my life down for Him daily and surrendering my all to Him. He gave His all for me, for us, why would we not do the same for Him? So many times we want to offer a small portion of ourselves to Him and we fool ourselves into thinking that is enough. We feel like we are really doing something great and sacrificing when we give Him a little of ourselves, but He didn’t just give a little of Himself to us. He gave it all. How much more should we be willing to give to Him. When we give our all to Him we can walk in His perfect peace and will.

I want to encourage you today to take a few minutes to take stock of your life and ask yourself a honest question. How much of yourself are you giving to Him? How much of your life is surrendered to Him? I asked myself those tough questions today and spent a lot of time in prayer. I pray you do the same and that you make it something you do often because our flesh, demons, and the world will try to pull us away from full surrender to Him. Full surrender is something that takes effort.

Blessings to you all.

Nichole Henson, Fullness of Joy Ministry