15 Bible Verses About Surrendering to God

Robins chatter on the lawn, delighted after an early morning deluge chased the earthworms from their sleepy hideaways beneath the earth.  As I watch them from my chair beside the window, I pull out my Bible in search of Bible verses about surrendering to God.

I’ve been clinging to control lately, I need God to help me release my clenched fists and trust him.

Today, I’m sharing 15 Bible verses about surrendering to God.  May these Scriptures help us all release our grip and trust God.

I also invite you to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you surrender to God daily.

15 Bible Verses About Surrendering to God

Here are God’s words about surrendering to him.

Bible Verses About Surrendering to God

1. Mark 14:35-36 ESV

And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Jesus gave us the ultimate example of how to surrender to God.

Before he was crucified, he asked God to remove the cup from him.  If there was another way to accomplish the plan, Jesus wanted the other way.

At the end of his prayer, he prayed, “Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

This is a powerful prayer of surrender for us all.  We can ask God to grant our desires.  Yet the ultimate prayer of surrender is, “Not my will, but yours, Lord.”

2. 1 Peter 5:7

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 

We surrender to God by casting our anxieties and fears on him.

Too often, I ruminate over fears and worries.

Imagine how different our lives would be if we learned to cast our cares on him immediately!

3. John 15:1-2

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 

At times, God prunes us.  He removes parts of our lives that weren’t bearing fruit or were holding us back from him.

Part of surrender is leaning into this process while trusting that God cares for us.

4. Isaiah 40:31

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

We surrender to God by turning to him in our weariness.

Wait on the Lord, and he will give you strength.

Additionally, Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us what to do while we wait: We don’t lean on our human understanding or reasoning.  Instead, we trust that God’s ways are perfect.  We keep looking to him while we wait, and we trust that he will make the way clear for us.

5. Psalm 27:14

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

God’s timing is always perfect.  His ways are not our ways, but he will never abandon his children.  He also promises to finish what he starts (see Phil. 4:6).

Ask God to give you courage as you surrender to him.

In the meantime, he will show you how to be strong and keep working while you wait.

6. Ecclesiastes 3:1

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

As we surrender to God, we can trust that when we seek God with our whole hearts, aiming to walk in his ways, he will deliver us at the right time.

7. 2 Peter 3:8

8. Lamentations 3:25-26

The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

When we faithfully seek God, he rewards us with blessings.  God is good to those who respond to his pursuit and seek his face.

9. Luke 18:27

But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Never forget that what feels impossible to us is possible with God.  No situation is too far beyond his ability to intervene.  No dream is too great.  We cannot make requests that are beyond his capability.

Our role is to align our hearts with his heart.  The more we seek him, the more our desires also begin to align with his desires.  When this happens, God moves mountains because our prayers align with his will for us.

10. Matthew 6:25

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

This verse reminds us that God cares for us.  He wants to meet our needs.  Instead of worrying about his provision, he invites us to lift our eyes to him and wait for him to provide for us.

11. Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

We can surrender to God because he is working even when we cannot see his hand at work.

He is inviting you to new levels of faith.  Will you trust that he is working in unseen places?  If so, your faith will grow.  God will also help you rise above your greatest worries.

12. Psalm 121:1-2

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 

Instead of gazing at your worries, fix your eyes on Jesus.  Tell him about your worries and ask him to help you surrender these cares into his hands.  He promises to lift your burdens for you.

You might need to surrender these burdens dozens, or even hundreds of times.  That’s okay.  Every time you feel worries arise within you, surrender them to Jesus again.

13. James 4:10

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Surrender is humbling.

We admit that we cannot hold our lives together and submit to God’s authority.

But there is a promise for those who surrender in humility: When we surrender to God, he will eventually exalt us.

14. Luke 9:23-24

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

Jesus calls his followers to deny their desires and follow him.

This is the ultimate act of surrender: We put God’s will in front of our will.

15. Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

As followers of Christ, we have crucified our old, sinful selves.  We commit to letting Jesus lead us and follow him by faith.

~~~

Let’s now look at how we can apply these Bible verses about surrendering to God to our everyday moments.

Practical Applications of These Bible Verses About Surrendering to God

George Müller was known for the idea of rolling our burdens onto God.*

We don’t have to carry our burdens and cares alone.  God invites us to cast our burdens onto him and allow him to sustain us (see Psalm 55:22).

We don’t have to carry our burdens and cares alone. God invites us to cast our burdens onto him and allow him to sustain us (see Psalm 55:22). Share on X

Rolling Our Burdens Onto God in Surrender

What does this look like?  Let’s consider a few insights to help us release our heaviest burdens as we surrender to God.

1. We surrender our burdens by learning to recognize them.

We cannot unburden that which we have not first identified.

What is weighing you down?

Do you feel exhausted, discouraged, fearful, or restless?  Is there a specific situation that feels like a heavy burden?

Share this with God.  Tell him about it as if you’re talking to a trusted friend.

Often, the simple process of naming your trouble will feel like a burden lifted.  God is listening and wants to help you.

2. We ask God to lift these burdens.

I used to imagine lifting my burdens to God in the palm of my hand.

During a very difficult time, I faced a burden that felt too heavy.  I tried to lift it to God, but it seemed to fall back onto my shoulders.

God showed me that when a burden is too heavy for me to lift, he is able to reach down from on high and lift it for me.  My role is to open my clenched fists as if enabling the burden to roll off of my open hands and into his hands.

All I need to do is ask, and God will roll the burden off of me and onto him.  He does the work.  I submit to the process.

Imagine a burden that’s been weighing you down.  Talk to God about this burden.  Tell him everything as you process your emotions with him.  Now, sit with open palms and imagine the burden is in your hands.

Next, imagine God’s strong arm reaching down and lifting it from you.  Every time you start to worry about the burden, remind yourself that God has lifted it.  It’s in his hands.

3. We repeat this process as many times as needed.

God wants to carry your burdens for you.

However, this doesn’t mean that you won’t need to roll your same burden onto the Lord dozens of times.

Have you ever noticed that you can release a worry into God’s hands, but the next day, you wake up, and the worry has returned?

This happens to all of us.  For this reason, God invites us to continue rolling our burdens onto him day after day.  Every time your heart feels heavy, open your clenched fists, tell God about your burden, and ask him to lift it from you again.

God never grows tired of caring for you.

Here are three prayers to help you with rolling your burdens onto the Lord.

Prayers of Surrender to God

1. God, as I surrender to you, I thank you for the promise that you will never abandon me (see Deut. 31:6).

Thank God for his promise to stay with you always.  He will never leave you.  He will never abandon you.  Find your strength in this promise.  Put your hope in the promise of his nearness as you surrender to him.

2. Lord, thank you for being my refuge, fortress, and shelter (see Psalm 91:1).

God promises to be a shelter (Psalm 91:1).  He offers rest in the shadow of his wings (Psalm 63:7). He promises to fill me with streams of Living Water (John 7:38).  Thank God for being your shelter in times of weakness.  You will soon find him answering your prayer with his ever-present provision.

3. God, thank you for offering me deep comfort—for caring for me as a mother cares for her child (see Isaiah 66:13).

A child leans into his mother’s safe arms and finds security in her presence. He finds strength because he trusts his mother.  We find strength in God when we place our full trust in the security of his everlasting arms.

~~~

If these Bible verses about surrendering to God and applications blessed you, I invite you to explore our devotional books and library of free eBooks below.  Be blessed as you respond to God’s pursuit.

Calling All Parents and Grandparents!

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 15, share this vision.  They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love.  You can find all three books here or read more below.

Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!

God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom.  Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world.  I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven!  You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord.  Find this life-changing devotional book here.

Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter

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.

Find Our Family Devotionals Here

Find all three books right here.  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.

Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing

God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone.  Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life.  Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here.  (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!

A Free Devotional to Help You Connect With God

God is a good Father, and he wants us to experience his healing, deliverance, and replenishment.  Most of us have learned that we cannot heal, deliver, or refresh ourselves; we need God to do this work within us.  I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment.  Find it for free here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free.  I invite you to explore the collection right here!

 

 

Quote from: Roll Your Burdens On The Lord by George Müller – Sermon Index