Where To Find Joy Here and Now

“What do you need to surrender?” Her question echoed through the microphone and searched my heart.

The previous days spent in fellowship, laughter, tears, and prayer with twenty other like-minded, yet diversely talented friends culminated in this last night of reflection and worship. Pads of sticky notes decorated our seats in hues of purple, pink, and blue. I was mindful that these same note pads housed our fears a day earlier, as each woman vulnerably named the root of our anxious thoughts and their related triggers.

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I sat while my mind invited the Spirit to search my heart. Before getting on a plane and entering back into real life, what was God asking me to surrender to increase my agility along this faithful race?

While several areas came to mind, one clearly stood out: the outcome.

After my pen finished writing, I separated the top sticky note from the comfort of the others while my body stood in affirmation. The fire blazed ahead. Per instructions, the now crumpled paper nestled inside my palm dropped into the flames as a symbol of full surrender to God. My gait paused while my eyes watched the embers engulf each letter.

I immediately felt lighter; however, the processing and surrendering continue. I surrender the outcome—yes, but the outcome of what? My heart knows the answers: my marriage, my parenting, our education choices, my writing projects, my friendships, my time, and the list continues.

Now I wonder—is surrendering the outcome the key to lasting joy in a life of faithfulness?

Theologians and bible readers have spent centuries deciphering Jesus’ Parable of the Talents that Matthew records in Chapter 25. It begins with a man going on a journey who entrusts a varying amount of his property in talents to three different servants to be managed wisely. Its significance remains for us today.

The master, representing our Good Father, has entrusted much to our care as well: relationships, resources, intellectual capital, giftings, time, and more. What matters is not how much we are given, in each respective category, but how we faithfully steward and invest these gifts.

My husband and I now use this verse as the crux of our ministry and writing journey.

His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ (Matthew 25:23 ESV)

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What does it look like to live a good and faithful life? How can we enter into the fullness of joy this verse rewards? A faithful life is a wisely invested life. But it also begs the question: what is to come with each of our faithful yes’s and no’s along the way?

This is where surrender comes into play; we can’t control the outcome.

A life lived in faithful obedience, wisely managing and investing the gifts God has entrusted to us along the journey includes surrendering the outcome of it all. Each decision, each trial, each moment of parenting may not be tied with a perfect bow of understanding and clarity, but we are promised full and complete joy when we leave the outcome to Him. The joy of our master is not lacking. It is abundant, and it is ours as we surrender what we have for His kingdom here and now.

What is God asking you to surrender today to increase your agility along this faithful race? Here’s a tip. Name your greatest fears, and He will meet you there with freedom and lasting joy. He did for me.

Now let’s open our hands, trust Him with the outcome, and continue this good and faithful journey together.

Gabby Grace Photography