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Monday
Read Romans 12:1
The Call to Surrender
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1, ESV)
The surrendered heart begins with a clear understanding of who God is and what He has done for us. The Apostle Paul doesn’t launch into commands without context. Instead, he roots this appeal in the mercy of God. “In view of God’s mercy” refers to everything Paul has already explained in the earlier chapters of Romans: our justification by faith, our reconciliation with God through Christ, our adoption as His children, and the promise of eternal life. All of this is unearned, undeserved, and freely given. Paul is saying, “Since God has been so merciful to you, the only logical response is total surrender.”
This surrender is described as presenting ourselves “as a living sacrifice.” In the Old Testament, sacrifices were placed on the altar and consumed by fire as an offering to God. Now, Paul tells us to offer ourselves, not to be consumed by flames, but to live continually for Him. The problem with a living sacrifice, as many have said, is that it can crawl off the altar. That’s why surrender is not a one-time decision but a daily discipline.
Offering our bodies means surrendering all we are—our minds, emotions, will, habits, relationships, and even our physical strength—to God. It’s saying, “God, all that I am belongs to You.” This act of surrender is not extreme; it is “true and proper worship.” Real worship isn’t confined to music or church services; it is lived out in how we walk, work, speak, and love.
In a world that glorifies self-fulfillment and self-expression, surrender may seem counterintuitive. But in God’s Kingdom, surrender leads to freedom. It frees us from the burden of running our own lives and invites us into the peace of God’s purposes. A surrendered life is not a wasted life—it is a life fully aligned with God’s will, empowered by His Spirit, and used for His glory.
Reflective Questions
In what ways have you experienced God’s mercy personally, and how might that motivate your surrender? Are there specific areas of your life that you’ve kept off the altar of surrender? How would your day-to-day life look different if you viewed all of it as an act of worship?
Prayers
Bryant and Anne Wilhelmsen and GlobalGrace Missions
Pray for Jamal, a Christian Kurd from Iran, who’s been applying for political asylum in Germany for years with no success. He has faithfully attended Bible study, and he continues thanking the Wilhelmsens for making Jesus known to him. Anguish sometimes overwhelms him in the stress of seeking a new home.
Tuesday
Read Proverbs 3:5-6
Surrender—Trusting God’s Will
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)
One of the greatest challenges to living with a surrendered heart is learning to trust God’s will, especially when it differs from our own desires or plans. Proverbs 3:5-6 is more than a memory verse—it is a daily invitation/command to release our grip on control and walk by faith.
To trust the Lord “with all your heart” means placing our full confidence in Him, not just when life makes sense but even when it doesn’t. It’s not partial trust or conditional trust; it’s complete reliance on God’s character, wisdom, and goodness. That kind of trust doesn’t come naturally, but it grows as we experience God’s faithfulness in both the expected and the uncertain seasons of life. It is a trust that goes beyond the head, to the heart. It is more than knowing that to trust the Lord is surrendering to Him; it means believing it!
We’re also reminded, “… do not lean on our own understanding.” This doesn’t mean we ignore logic or wisdom, but it does mean that our perspective is limited by our experience and context. God sees the end from the beginning. He knows what lies ahead and is “working all things together for our good,” even when the road seems crooked or confusing to us (Romans 8:28).
Finally, surrender involves submission to the Lord of our lives, Jesus—“in all your ways submit to Him” (Proverbs 3:6a). This is not passive resignation or abdication, but active obedience. We intentionally bring our decisions, relationships, fears, and ambitions before God and ask, “Lord, what would You have me do?” And when we do this, the promise is clear: “He will make your paths straight” (v. 6b). That doesn’t mean every path will be easy, but it does mean they will be purposeful, aligned with His perfect will.
Are you leaning on your own understanding today? Have you truly submitted all your ways to the Lord, or just the ones you feel comfortable surrendering?
Reflective Questions
What areas of your life are hardest to surrender to God’s will and timing? How have you seen God “make your path straight” when you trusted Him in the past? What would change if you invited God into every decision this week?
Prayers
Bryant and Anne Wilhelmsen and GlobalGrace Missions
Praise God for one young Iranian couple whose wedding the Wilhelmsens officiated. Although their pasts are complicated, God is bringing them closer to Himself. They’ve been granted asylum and have found jobs, but they still live in a basement room in a local refugee camp. Pray they can find an apartment and a better life.
Wednesday
Read Luke 9:23, 22:41-42
Surrender—Letting Go of Self
“Then He said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me.’” (Luke 9:23, NIV)
Jesus never sugarcoated the cost of discipleship. To follow Him requires more than just belief or lip service; it requires total and willing surrender. In Luke 9:23, Jesus offers a clear and challenging call: if we want to be His disciples, we must “deny [ourselves], take up [our] cross daily, and follow [Him].”
Self-denial is a somewhat foreign concept in a culture that encourages self-expression and self-fulfillment. But in God’s Kingdom, life is found not in grasping tightly, but in giving generously. To deny ourselves doesn’t mean we lose our identity—it means we lose our right to run our own lives. It means we stop putting our preferences, comfort, and desires above God’s will. It means God FIRST!
Taking up our cross daily points to the ongoing nature of surrender. The cross wasn’t just a symbol of suffering—it was a symbol of submission to the Father’s will. Jesus took up His cross in obedience, and so must we. Every day we are faced with choices: Will we respond with love instead of anger? Will we forgive rather than hold a grudge? Will we serve instead of seeking recognition?
Surrender isn’t always dramatic. Often, it’s found in the small, unseen decisions to obey Christ. It might mean sacrificing our personal time to care for someone in need. It might mean letting go of bitterness. It might mean choosing to trust in faith when we’d rather retreat in fear.
Following Jesus means He sets the direction. We don’t ask Him to follow our plans—we align ourselves with His. The surrendered heart says, “Not my will, but Yours be done,” even when it’s hard, even when it hurts.
Reflective Questions
In what situations are you tempted to put your own desires above God’s will? What “cross” might God be asking you to carry today in obedience to Him? How can you practice self-denial in your everyday choices this week?
Prayers
Bryant and Anne Wilhelmsen and GlobalGrace Missions
The refugees coming off the Refugee Highway are like sweet ripe fruit just lying on the ground. God has shown Bryant and Anne that it is not always His plan that we climb the trees to harvest. Are we willing to bend down and pick up fruit that is bruised and forgotten—some of His most beloved? This is their work among refugees in Germany, caring for those right at their feet.
Thursday
Read Matthew 11:28-30
Surrender—The Freedom
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest … For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NIV)
It is easy to view surrender as loss. But in God’s upside-down economy, surrender leads to rest and freedom. In Matthew 11:28–30, Jesus extends a tender invitation to the weary: “Come to Me … and I will give you rest.” This is not just physical rest; it’s soul rest as well. It’s the kind that quiets anxiety, lifts burdens, and renews joy. It’s a rest that gives a peace “that surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).
Jesus contrasts the heavy burdens we carry—performance, perfectionism, fear, guilt—with His light and easy yoke, a tool that binds two oxen together to share the load. We can walk in total surrender only when we are prepared to be yoked with Jesus. He doesn’t promise to eliminate every challenge, but He walks with us, carrying with us the burden we cannot bear alone. He strengthens us through His presence and teaches us how to find peace in the middle of pressure. And the miracle of His love is that this yoke fits perfectly because it’s made for two—you and Him together.
Surrender is not weakness; it’s wisdom. It’s realizing we were never meant to carry everything. Too many believers burn out, not because they’re doing bad things, but because they’re doing good things apart from Jesus. The surrendered heart stops striving and starts abiding. It says, “I don’t have to have all the answers; I just need to walk with the One who does.”
This kind of surrender doesn’t produce laziness; it produces fruitfulness. Rested people love better, serve with joy, and reflect the peace of Christ. Rest is not the absence of activity; it’s the presence of God in our activity. It’s choosing intimacy with Jesus over independence, trust over toil, and grace over grind.
Today, if you feel weary, the solution is not to try harder—it’s to surrender more deeply.
Reflective Questions
What burdens are you carrying that Jesus is inviting you to surrender? How have you experienced soul-rest through deeper dependence on Christ? What practical steps can you take to walk yoked with Jesus this week?
Prayers
Bryant and Anne Wilhelmsen and GlobalGrace Missions
Pray for the ongoing Bible Study with refugees each Wednesday evening. Many of them work at odd jobs, often through the night, and live in villages surrounding the city. Arranging a time when all can be together is a challenge. Pray for their motivation to come. Many are unable to read their own languages, and some are fearful of showing their interest in the Bible.
Friday
Read John 15:5
Surrender—When We Abide in Christ
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NIV)
Surrender is not just about letting go, it’s about plugging in. In John 15, Jesus uses the image of a vine and branches to describe the perfect relationship with Him. We are the branches, completely dependent on Him, the vine for life, nourishment, and fruitfulness.
“Remain in Me,” He says. This is the ultimate posture of surrender. It’s the daily, conscious decision to stay connected to Christ, to depend on Him for strength, wisdom, and purpose. A branch doesn’t strive to bear fruit; it simply abides. The fruit is the natural result of connection.
Too often, we attempt to live for Christ without living in Christ. We try to bear fruit through effort instead of intimacy. But Jesus says, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” Not just “less”—nothing. Without abiding, our best efforts are empty.
Abiding means and requires that we prioritize time with God. We cannot abide in Him if we do not open His Word and hear His “voice.” Intimate time with Him in prayer is a must if we are to know His will for our lives. We must find that quiet time to listen for His Spirit. We must be prepared to obey even when we don’t understand. That’s a lot of “musts,” but abiding in Him is founded on the Word, prayer, surrender, and obedience. It’s a life of rhythm and relationship with Him that makes us His disciples, not performance or pressure.
The surrendered heart recognizes that the source of everything good flows from Christ. The more deeply we abide, the more naturally we become like Him. Our love, joy, peace, and patience are not manufactured—they are cultivated through connection and relationship.
Reflective Questions
In what ways are you trying to bear fruit apart from abiding in Christ? What rhythms help you stay connected to the Vine each day? How can you deepen your dependence on Jesus this week?
Prayers
Bryant and Anne Wilhelmsen and GlobalGrace Missions
David from Afghanistan, a believer in Jesus, has received permission to reside in Germany but is struggling to get his wife and daughter to join him. Their situation is complicated and frustrating. Pray for David as he continues to seek reunion with his family. For safety reasons, his family may not yet know of his faith in Jesus.
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