The Conditional Surrender
As believers, we often say things like:
“Lord, I’ll go here, BUT not there…
I’ll do this, BUT not that…
I’ll take this off, BUT not that…
I’ll stop going to that place, BUT not the one over there…
I can sing, BUT I’m not speaking…
I’ll do anything, BUT…”
Our surrender is often conditional, depending on what’s most comfortable or convenient for us.
We tell God that He can only use us “so much.”
Drawing Lines in the Sand
We draw a proverbial line in the sand that we don’t want God to cross, a line that would break our own agenda and the vision we have for our lives.
It’s not true surrender if there’s a “but” in between.
It’s not true surrender if there’s a line in the sand on how far God can take us or how much He can use us.
What’s on the Other Side of Your “But”?
What if our family’s salvation is tied to whatever is on the other side of our “but”?
Better yet, who knows how many lost souls hang in the balance because we’ve placed a wedge between our wants and full surrender to God?
Imagine If Jesus Had a “But”
What if Jesus, as He hung on that rugged cross, said, “I’ll die for everybody, but [place our name here]”?
Imagine if His surrender to take on such punishment was conditional.
With every name of every person who would ever walk the face of the earth, an added gruesome punishment was something He had to endure.
If He didn’t die for me, that would have been one less whip. If He didn’t die for you, that would have been one less thorn on His brow.
In the garden, Jesus could have said, “Alright, they can whip me, BUT they can’t nail me to the cross. That’s just pushing it.” Or, “They can pierce my side, BUT they can’t rip off my clothes—that’s humiliating.”
There were many instances where “BUT” could have been used, but instead, Jesus said, “NEVERTHELESS.”
An Example of Surrender
There is nothing in this world worth keeping compared to how much Jesus gave up for us.
That is why I have such a heart for missions and evangelism.
In these moments, I place myself on the altar. This allows Jesus to shine through me.
I am placing my comfort on the line. I am placing my feelings on the line. Nothing is worth seeing Jesus glorified through my obedience and full surrender.
I am inspired by the life of two missionaries, now modern-day martyrs, David and Natalie Lloyd.1
They understood full surrender.
They served and sacrificed being in a war-torn, impoverished nation for the sake of the Gospel.
They knew their lives were not about comfort or personal gain.
They were willing to risk everything for their faith.
From Comfort to Calling
How many of us would be willing to make such a sacrifice?
Lifting our hands in the comfort of padded pews, air conditioning, and chandeliers is easy.
There is no need for a “but” in that scenario.
Can we lift our hands when bullets are flying at our heads?
What would we do if someone says deny Jesus or die?
No More “But” — Only “Nevertheless”
As we dedicate our lives to Jesus, may our desire to say “BUT” become a “NEVERTHELESS.”
Raphael R. Roker 