How to Surrender to God When Life Is Hard and Your Calling Feels Hidden
A subtle clacking sound echoes from the black clock on the wall, and I stare into the ashen hues of winter outside. I sit by the window awaiting the roaring engine of the school bus. My calling feels humble, quiet, and hidden in this season, and I’m wondering just how to surrender to God in these hard days of mothering little ones.
Opening my Bible in search of encouragement, I find Jesus talking to a wealthy young man.
Jesus says to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me”(Matthew 19:21).
As I often do when I read, I imagine myself in the place of the young man. I imagine the way the light reflects off the glimmering eyes of God-in-the-flesh. I imagine his intonation and my response.
The next verse depicts the rich young man’s response: But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property (Matthew 19:22).
How to Surrender to God in the Trenches of a Quiet Calling
I wonder what the Lord would ask me to give away if I approached him today.
Would he ask for my house? My car? All of my possessions?
Maybe he would ask for something to which I cling even more tightly. Perhaps he would ask about my daily work.
I stare at the face of the clock, and I know what I’m called to give away on this day. The Lord is calling me to give him my time. Not just an hour per day. Not just the three hours I deem “ministry time” each day, but all of it.
How would my life change if I gave God every minute of this day? Would I spend less time pursuing entertainment, chasing comfort, or folding laundry? I have no clue.
I silently vow to surrender my days to the Lord this week, and I have high hopes about reaching out to others, investing in younger women, and writing words that matter.
Doing Something “Big” for God
Two days later, in the same chair, with the dusky twilight glowing through the window, I reflect on the past 48 hours of surrendering my time.
An hour after I prayed my prayer of surrender, my husband texted to say he’d be working all evening.
The next morning, the little ones were awake well before daylight with wracking coughs and fevers. I canceled my plans for the day and turned on humidifiers and cartoons.
Surrendering my time looked nothing like I expected.
I wanted to do something “big” for God.
Instead, I held coughing children on the couch and watched Anne of Greene Gables.
And still, the clock kept clicking on, counting time, reminding me that surrender is not so much about planning ways to make a giant impact as it is about checking our attitudes when God sends detours.
There were seasons when surrendering my time looked like staying up late with crying teens and going on week-long mission trips with dozens of high school students. This surrender looks different now, quieter, but it is not less valuable.
What Real Surrender Looks Like
True surrender looks like doing the same humble work again and again in hidden places.
Maybe this is the ultimate kind of surrender.
I open to the passage in Matthew once more, and I read the words of Jesus to the rich young man, “If you wish to be complete . . .” (Matthew 19:21)
It seems I have read enough: If you wish to be complete, surrender to the hard and humble acts of service God is asking you to fulfill in this season, and keep following him. His heart work often takes place in the most unseen places.
And so, to all the tired moms, worn-out teachers, weary caregivers, and stretched-thin public servants: Don’t quit now. This is hard and humble work. It feels unseen, under-appreciated, and far too hidden much of the time. No one is saying thanks. You’re grinding it out and just doing what everyone expects from you.
But this is the place where God is transforming you into his image.
Keep doing the next thing and keep doing it with your eyes fixed on him. This hard surrender is filled with eternal significance.
True surrender looks like doing the same humble work again and again in hidden places. #surrender #faith #trust Share on XCalling all moms and daughters—and parents of boys!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 14, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or grandparents to read with the children they care about.
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength is for boys ages 5-13. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to courageously carry God’s love into the world. Written with input from our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven, this book will help the boys you care about find courage and strength in God. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Devotionals for Girls
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
All three books are available in print and eBook form here on Amazon. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
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