Waving The White Flag

Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.

Romans 12:1 msg

The white flag has long been a symbol of truce. In war, many have used the recognizable technique of waving a white flag to communicate a willingness to start peace talks, offer concessions, begin negotiations, or collect the wounded. The person carrying the white flag is not supposed to attack, and they are not to be attacked, as they are in the position of surrender.

When faced with a difficult situation, we often want to fight our way through it, relying on our own limited knowledge and resources. However, as we prepare to face our battle against depression, we can choose instead to wave the white flag of surrender to God. Surrendering the struggle to God does not mean we give up or give in, but rather we give over to what God has for us during this time. It means we are leaving the future of this particular journey in God’s hands. It means we hand over our desire to manage it all on our own.

When we surrender to God, we are putting our faith in him and in his promises. It is a choice. It looks very much like what children do when adults reassure them that we will meet their needs. Children give an “okay” of acknowledgment, smile, and go back to playing. No hint of doubt. No attempt to try to retake control. No second-guessing.

We can have that same faith—the faith of a child. We too can wave the white flag to surrender to God our depression, our treatment, and the outcome. Then we can get back in the game of life.

In our abandonment we give ourselves over to God just as God gave Himself for us, without any calculations. The consequences of abandonment never enter into our outlook because our life is taken up in Him.

Oswald Chambers

God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.

Andrew Murray

You become stronger only when you become weaker. When you surrender your will to God, you discover the resources to do what God requires.

Erwin Lutzer

For Further Reflection

Luke 9:23–24; Luke 14:23; Philippians 3:8

Today’s Prayer

Lord, please help me to surrender all of my life to you. And when I start to feel like you need my help, please remind me to surrender again. Amen.