Change is what is birthed out of Surrender to God, it is the ONLY way to become like Christ, living a life bowed down and as a slave of Christ Alone. This is how anyone can walk in their Creator's purpose. No Surrender, no change.

In wrapping up our Change series were going to wade into a no mans land of sorts..."Suffering."  It's a place nobody wants to go, likes to go, and can't wait to get out of, but it is a reality for every life on this planet, so we are going there!  Suffering is one of the greatest catalysts that can lead to real change in life and circumstances.  Pain is a great motivator, it not only pits us against difficult circumstances and people, but it exposes the heart of the sufferer to the realities of this fallen world and the neediness of fallen humanity.  Suffering begs relief and rescue, someone or something to swoop in and save the day.  It puts us, if we are willing, in a place where we are ready to cry uncle...uncle, in submission to the reality that we no longer can.  

Here in this valunerable place of honesty and humility, recognizing our weakness and need for outside assistance we surrender, because of our suffering and cry out for help.  And this is the place where God shows up in the most profound and power filled ways!  Always unpredictable, always profound, and always confounding...as Isaiah put it, "God's ways and God's thoughts are NOT our ways, or our thoughts" (my paraphrase).  The beauty is when you or I surrender in our suffering, God changes the circumstance, and more importantly God changes you and me!  

I don't know about you, but it really is good to know that I'm not in this life alone, that there really is a God who not only knows me, my circumstance, and my pain, but He really wants to "Be With" me right, smack dab in the middle of it!

Suffering, a pathway to change, so step on into the pain and cryout to Christ He is waiting for you in the surrender.