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1 Peter 2:23 – [Jesus] did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. (NLT)
When in your life have you experienced unfair treatment that left you bruised and beaten? When have you been tempted to retaliate for circumstances and events that left you in pain and filled with grief?
In suffering, we can respond in two ways. One response is to retaliate and grow bitter in disgust at what God has allowed to happen. The other response is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and not retaliate, but leave our case in the hands of God to sort out.
For the past two and a half years, I've been learning to follow in the footsteps of Jesus myself. Our motorcycle riding came to a sudden end one day in the spring of 2011 when a car ran a stop sign and left my wife and me bruised and beaten under the car on the side of the road. I did nothing wrong but ended up with a life-altering situation.
The journey of recovery continues as I brace for surgery number nine later this month. But as I do, I am choosing to leave my case in the hands of God. I'm learning to surrender this ordeal to God. And as I do, I have been experiencing peace, contentment, and courage for the fight.
What about you? What event in your life has been unfair? A job loss? An unexpected death? An illness? An accident? A reversal in finances?
I invite you to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and leave your case in the hands of God.
I leave you with a list of some of the things I'm surrendering to God. I encourage you to write out your own list of the parts of your life that you need to leave in the hands of God.
- I surrender what I've lost and leave behind.
- I surrender the pain and suffering ahead (e.g. the surgery and therapy).
- I surrender the need for an end date to my recovery.
- I surrender my talents, skills, and abilities for God to use as He sees fit in the meantime.
- I surrender my need to know what the future holds.
Surrendering is not waving the white flag and giving control over to a tyrannical enemy army. Surrendering is letting the all-knowing, all-powerful God work out the details of our case according to His plan and design!
A prayer of surrender: Father, thank You for handling Jesus' case as only You could. Jesus, thank You for showing us how to deal with unfair treatment and unimaginable suffering. Father, give me the strength today to leave my case in Your hands and let You lead my life in the days ahead. I know that I can trust You, no matter what. Amen.
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Great thoughts and words. Thank you.
A good reminder Cam. Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful message, Cam. Praying for your speedy, complete recovery.
AMEN! and thank you Cam.
(Texas)
Thanks for sharing this well written, thought provoking piece. Praying for
continued healing for you.
Thank you – this was just the word I needed today at work! God bless you.
(BC)
Surrendering, or letting go, is imperative in all our lives. I have learned this truth the hard way.
My prayers go with you through your surgery + recovery. Thank you for the reminder that God holds all in loving capable hands! God bless.
I hope you don’t mind if I use your list with a slight modification for my own use. Thank you for your insight, I will keep you in my prayers.
Cam, your story reminds me of the old Hymn, I Surrender All by Winfield S. Weeden. If you don’t know it, please let me know and I will see that you get a copy.
Thank you Cam, and Thank God that you and your wife are here, and for you to share in this devotional. Could it possibly be, that God is directing at least one of your talents to writing?
I had no idea you have suffered such an accident nor that you continue to suffer. Thank you for sharing the lessons your suffering has given you.
Praying for you and your wife. Blessings.
Dear Cam,
I really enjoy your testimony “I Surrender”.
Thank you.
P.S. I will be praying for you.
Thank you for sharing part of your journey. We have gone through something similar in our ministry. Your comments are helpful.
Grace and Peace be with you in the power of Jesus Christ.
Thanks for this. I’ve been cheated in business by people whom I felt were trustworthy.
I’ve held grudges over this but your testimony leaves me resolute to let go and let God.
Thank you and I pray for your healing in Jesus name.
May the dear Lord continue to bless you, to heal you and to give you strength. I know that he will. You see, he is doing the same for me.
Dear friend in Christ, one day, one step at a time.
May the dear Lord be your guide.
Hi Cam,
Thank you so much for the wonderful message in your devotional today. I can think of various situations in the world and in our own personal lives that require us to prayerfully surrender everything to God.
Wish you healing and peace.
Dear Cam.
I am identifying with you with your suffering, as I have had both physical and mental suffering which I have turned over to Him. What reassurance we have in knowing that our God is willing and able to take care of us. I will be praying for you as you face yet another trial. There is nothing too hard for Him!
(California, USA)
Dear Cam!
You wrote well about surrender. I can feel your pain and what you have been through already. You assure me to surrender all to God as many health issues cram my days.
I pray for the Lord’s presence, power and healing for you!
Thank you for sharing your faith in God who is able to help us through it all!
Thanks be to God for making you what you are in Him!
Speedy recovery!
Hello Cam
How interesting to read your devotion today. Half way down I suddenly knew it was you. Thanks for sharing the ‘surrender’ message – a difficult one, for sure. I can’t imagine how hard, really, but it gives me pause for thought and prayer.
May the Lord bring you the strength and peace you need in the days ahead. He is faithful! And as I was reminded in John 3:34 this morning, God “gives the Spirit without limit” (NIV).
(BC)
Dear Mr. Taylor
All I can say is that your devotion today has opened my eyes to reality.
Instead of worrying I have to leave it to God, I just cry out to Him because times are really tough.
But God always leads me to something positive. He never leaves or forsakes His children.
My prayers are with you and your wife. Have a speedy recovery.
Have a bless day and continue with your inspiring devotion.
God Bless
(Trinidad)
No better place then in the therapeutic hands of our Saviour. I have a young friend that lost his leg and part of his hand to a motorcycle accident last year. He smiles, and claims all is well, but there is a struggle. I pray for his struggle.
Can I pass your email along to him that he may want to confide in someone with like experiences and faceless? Sometimes it helps.
Thanks for sharing.
May you bless the Lord as you allow Him to improve your life. May the God of the heavens and earth give you peace as He has promised and may it be pressed down shaken together and so overflowing others will benefit from God’s wonderfully, healing peace!!
Wow, what a story. My husband & I are also riders. Your story reminds us that Satan can get us no matter how carefully we plan. I mean, who expects a car to run a stop sign just as you’re in the midst of the intersection?
Anyway, we have added you to our prayer list. We trust that God will make this ninth surgery to be an easy one to recover from, and that your eventual recovery will be total.
How many more surgeries are in your future anyway? Please let us know how you are faring. You are part of our family, both in Christ and in a love of bikes.
Good Morning Mr. Taylor:
What a powerful message alerting us to the fact so many of us growl and complain about absolutely nothing compared to the devastating situation you and your wife have had to contend with. We choose to dismiss the great fact our cups are more than half full and jabber on continually about our minor ailments we have with no compassion or concern for those we know and love who are suffering not only in body but also in spirit because of their situation. We never think once to surrender our “woes” to He who is the great physician and pray for patience and tolerance and deep concern for those less fortunate than we are when we faced with health obstacles in our lives.
I loved this message because it made me aware of the fact that we do need to surrender every phase of our lives to Christ and be ready to take the bad with the good carrying on joyfully in the name of the Lord. Joyfully even though we are bruised and beaten and endure a great deal of suffering and discomfort, however joyfully, joyfully indeed because we know there is always the outstretched hand from our Lord and Saviour who assures us He will give us peace and mercy in every area of our lives.
Thank you for the fine message.
I trust your wife is also on the road to recovery, I am sure this event has not been a pleasant road for her since she too was left bruised and beaten, under the car on the side of the road.
Blessings to you both.
SURRENDER. I have surrendered a situation. How does one let go of my children? I never will.
Hi Cam,
Thank you for your thoughtful and inspiring devotional! It can be applied to many of life’s challenges. You have been in our prayers as we had been following your recovery.
We will pray for good results on your next surgery!
God Bless.
Thanks Cam for your faithfulness and Christian endurance.
It’s so true that our Lord Jesus showed us the way when he surrendered all for us on that cruel but glorious Cross on Calvary.
Father I pray for your Glory to embrace Cam and his loved ones, that He be filled with Your loving healing power, that he be restored as was Job, and that many souls are saved as a result of Cams fortitude and testimony.
all in Jesus Holy Name. Amen and Amen.
Dear Sir,
My heart goes out to you. I have really been inspired.
I often find myself gripped with fear especially in taking decisions but today I’ve learned to surrender them all, Amen.
I also went through an emergency surgery in February and prior to that I’ve always dreaded the procedure but I’m very well by His grace.