Have you ever been advised to surrender? Perhaps you were struggling to find an answer, a job, your soul mate, or an ideal home. If you’re like many Americans, the thought of surrendering is not appealing. It sounds to many like giving up or an acknowledgment of our failure. So why are we told it’s in our best interest to let go and surrender?
To appreciate the value and intent of this advice, we need to release associating surrender with war. Life is not a battle. We’re not giving up our dreams or freedom when we surrender. We’re giving up the struggle.
My friend Steven Lane Taylor wrote an insightful and practical book about living life in the divine flow. As he clarifies in Row, Row, Row Your Boat, there is no need to exhaust ourselves chasing our goals and dreams. Life will bring to us everything we need if we will only learn how to row with the flow. This is what surrendering is about.
Many of us know of couples who try for years to get pregnant and finally do so once they decide to adopt a child, a perfect example of the power of surrender. Western culture has us believing success requires us to “stay in fight” because “if it’s to be. it’s up to me.” I don’t mean to suggest effort isn’t needed. It is necessary to take reasonable steps toward our goals, but when effort turns to struggle and the journey feels all uphill, it’s a good time to consider surrendering.
If you’d like life to get a bit easier, check out Steven’s book and stay with me. I’ll explore this topic more in the months ahead.