a-ban-don v. —- 1. to leave completely and finally; forsake utterly. 2. to give up the control of. 3. to yield (oneself) without restraint or moderation. 4. to surrender one’s claim to, right to, or interest in. 5. to give up entirely.
Abandonment, I have never been good at it. I am the one that might be quick to surrender but even quicker to run back to the foot of the cross and take what I just surrendered back. Why do I do this? I know my Savior is the best prize, and nothing else on this earth will satisfy… but sometimes I don’t feel that. I try to speak truth to myself, hoping that my heart will catch up to my head. I play songs like “King of My Heart” on repeat, praying if I just continue to sing the lyrics, I will start to believe them without any doubt. The doubt starts to creep in on the hard days. The days where “my” dreams are not coming true. The days where my friends are getting married and/or having children. The days where I feel like I am drowning in the midst of a storm. The days I don’t fully believe in who the Lord says He is.
This past month the Lord has been doing some work on my heart when it comes to this topic. One morning I just sat with the Lord and asked Him: “How do I obtain reckless abandon?” I want eyes that focus on “the things that are unseen, because the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). I desire to surrender every part of my life to the Father. I declare His ways are always bigger and better than mine… but I so easily forget. I forget His goodness. I forget His timing is perfect. But that morning in India, He met me. My Jesus met me right in the middle of my doubt and uncertainty. He met me to answer all my questions.
He took me to Colossians 3 and gave me 3 things to focus on to obtain a life of reckless abandon.
1. Seek the Kingdom. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (v. 1-2).
I focus on a lot of things other than Jesus. But God tells us repeatedly throughout Scripture to focus on Him. He is our portion. When we seek first His Kingdom and righteousness, things will be added to us.
2. Put on Love. “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (v.14).
We are to love God and love people. I want to love others without regard for their status in life, if we have things in common, or anything else for that matter that I might have previously used to judge the merit of another. I want to love them because they are made in the image of the One whom my soul loves.
3. Worship. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (v.16).
Worship isn’t just found in singing… we can worship through prayer, reading the Word, serving others. True worship is about the heart. It is about acknowledging all of God’s power and glory in everything we do.
I do not know what life is throwing at you right now. You might be dealing with financial hardship, your marriage might be on the rocks, you might just be trying to keep your head above water. But friends, remember… our faith must remain greater than our pain and our fears. We need different eyes, a different mind. One that lifts us above the seen and our short time here and above the fears that invade our lives. One that seeks the Kingdom, puts on love, and worships our Lord. May we abandon our lives recklessly before a WORHTY KING.
