Surrender to God's Will 3/6
Day 3 of 6: The Freedom in Surrender
This is Day 3 of "Surrender to God’s Will." Catching up? [Day 1] | [Day 2]
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How can giving up control actually give you more freedom?
The world tells us that freedom means unlimited choices and no constraints. But Augustine's story—and countless others—reveals that true freedom comes not from doing whatever we want, but from being liberated to become who we were created to be.
Day 3: The Freedom in Surrender
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." - John 8:36
Quickstart (1 Minute Commitment)
Today's Verse: John 8:36 - "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
Greek Word: ἐλεύθερος (eleutheros) - "free, not a slave." This freedom isn't just political or social; it's a spiritual state of being liberated from the bondage of sin and self.
Reflection Question: How can surrendering your will to someone else possibly make you more free?
Prayer: "Lord Jesus, I want to be 'free indeed.' Break the chains of sin and self-will that entangle me. Teach me that true freedom is found not in doing what I want, but in becoming the person you created me to be."
Story Time (5 Minute Commitment)
Augustine of Hippo, one of the most influential theologians in history, spent his youth and early adulthood as a slave to his own passions. He was brilliant, ambitious, and driven by a desire for worldly success and sensual pleasure. In his famous autobiography, Confessions, he describes his inner turmoil: "I was in bondage to a chain of my own making." He knew the truth and was drawn to it, but he felt powerless to change. His famous prayer from this time was, "Lord, grant me chastity and continence, but not yet."
He was trapped. The more he tried to free himself through his own willpower, the more entangled he became. He was a slave to his own 'freedom'—the freedom to do whatever he wanted, which had led him into a prison of addiction and despair.
The breakthrough came when he finally surrendered. Sitting in a garden in Milan, weeping over his spiritual impotence, he heard a child's voice chanting, "Tolle, lege; tolle, lege" ("Take up and read; take up and read"). He picked up a scroll of the apostle Paul's letters and his eyes fell on Romans 13:13-14: "...not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh."
In that moment, Augustine stopped fighting and surrendered his will to Christ. He realized that true freedom wasn't the power to do anything he wanted, but the power to do what is right. By surrendering to the authority of Christ, he was finally set free from the tyranny of his own sinful desires. His life from that point on was a testament to the liberating power of surrender.
Takeaway: We think freedom is the absence of constraints. But true freedom is being constrained by the right things. Surrendering to God's will frees us from the slavery of our own broken desires.
Deep Dive (15+ Minutes)
Philosophical and Psychological Focus:
The Paradox of Freedom
The modern world defines freedom as autonomy—the ability to choose your own path without external interference. But both ancient philosophy and modern psychology reveal the flaws in this understanding.
The 'Freedom From' vs. 'Freedom For
Philosopher Isaiah Berlin distinguished between two types of liberty: 'negative liberty' (freedom from interference) and 'positive liberty' (freedom for self-mastery and purpose). The world clamors for 'freedom from' rules and authority. But this often leads to what psychologists call 'the paradox of choice'—anxiety and paralysis in the face of too many options. Christianity offers 'freedom for'—the power to become the person you were created to be, which is the ultimate form of self-actualization.
The Slavery of the Self
The Bible's diagnosis of the human condition is that we are slaves to sin (John 8:34). This isn't just a theological concept; it's a psychological reality. Addiction, compulsive behaviors, and self-destructive patterns are all evidence of a will that is not truly free. We are driven by desires we did not choose and cannot control on our own. As the Apostle Paul lamented in Romans 7, "I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing."
The Well-Ordered Will
Ancient philosophers like Plato and Aristotle understood that freedom wasn't about indulging every desire, but about having a well-ordered will, where reason governs the passions. For the Christian, this order comes from surrendering our will to the perfect will of God. When our desires are aligned with His, we are no longer at war with ourselves. This is the inner peace that the world cannot give.
The Train Track Analogy
A train is only 'free' when it is on the tracks. If it 'frees' itself from the tracks, it is no longer a train; it is a wreck. The tracks don't limit the train's freedom; they make its freedom possible. In the same way, God's will and commands are not meant to restrict us, but to guide us into the life of purpose and flourishing for which we were designed.
Conclusion
True freedom is not the absence of all constraints, but the presence of the right ones. By surrendering to the loving will of God, we are not losing our freedom; we are finding it for the first time. We are being set free from the tyranny of our own brokenness and set free for a life of love, joy, and purpose.
Optional Language Learning
Greek Context: ἐλεύθερος (eleutheros) and the Roman Manumission
In the Roman world, a slave could be set free through a process called 'manumission.' Often, the slave would have to save up money to 'buy' their own freedom. Paul uses this imagery in 1 Corinthians 6:20, saying we were "bought at a price." But there's a twist. In some forms of manumission, a third party would pay the price to a temple, and the slave would be 'sold' to the god of that temple. They were now the 'slave' of that god, which meant no human could ever enslave them again. Their slavery to the god was the guarantee of their freedom from all other masters.
This is a powerful picture of our relationship with Christ. He bought us, and now we are His. Our 'slavery' to Christ is our perfect freedom.
Optional Journal Reflection
In what areas of your life are you pursuing 'freedom from' constraints, and has it led to true fulfillment?
What 'tracks' (divine commands or principles) have you been resisting? How might they actually be the path to your freedom?
Describe what 'freedom for' a life of love and purpose would look like for you, in practical terms.
Share Your Thoughts
Augustine's story reveals how our pursuit of unlimited freedom can become its own prison. What areas of your life have you discovered that "freedom from" constraints actually led to bondage? How has surrendering to God's will brought unexpected freedom? Share your experience below.
Coming Tomorrow...
How does individual surrender to God's will transform into community life? Tomorrow we'll explore how the surrendered life is meant to be lived out together, creating a witness that turns the world upside down.
Don't miss Day 4: The Surrendered Community - when humility becomes contagious.
This is Day 3 of our 6-day series "Surrender to God's Will." [Day 1] | [Day 2]
Coming Tomorrow: Day 4 - The Surrendered Community