I Give…UP

I Give…Up I’m done. Calling it quits and after much thought, throwing in the towel.  Three weeks in to 2014 and this is the closest I have to a resolution list. I serve in a church as a Worship Leader (i.e. I lead other people by example into Spirit-led, Truth-full worship), and for a fleeting second, out of fear of implications, I was tempted to put the following list in quotations under a pseudonym. #stupidsafeideas  1. I give up trying to appear something I’m not. 2. I give up going with the flow if it renames sin, removes repentance, or reconsiders the truth of heaven, hell and Scripture. 3. I give up concealing my dents, bruises, scratches and scars. In Christ, nothing’s ever wasted. 4. I give up hiding my anxiety and depression like there’s not a blessing in there for which I can be grateful.. 5. I give up people pleasing. I’ve got nothing to prove and only One to please. 6. I give up trying so hard and trusting so little, and loving being “liked” more than living like I’m loved. 7. I give up pretending more than practicing, hiding more than seeking and lounging more than leading. 8. I give up obsessing over self, success, today’s problems, tomorrow’s plans and things with no eternal value. 9. I give up cropping out the dark parts of my past and Photoshopping my current struggles till they’re a “testimony.” 

10. I give up a flimsy faith that at times chooses comfort over the Comforter, cool over Christ, and looking good over being good. I’m not good with that, down with that or up for that if Jesus ain’t OK with that. I repent. 11. I give up wasting energy on image management, appearing strong when I’m weak, spiritual when I’m struggling, happy when I’m down, and whole when I’m broken. “And God raised us UP with Him and seated us with Him in Heavenly places with Christ Jesus.” From the low place of my knees I look and see “UP” is good, and today I Give…UP to the real Jesus. ** I later searched “giving up” and found the more common word, surrender. Surrender defined: To give up to the appropriate authority. To relinquish control to another. Stefan