There Is No Greater Love 
By Mike Rule 

Many times as we grow in intimacy with God, He brings us to the point of having to face the surrender of the thing we hold most dear. For me, it was first my own life, then my children, and finally my wife and marriage. As God confronts us with these issues we usually feel the price is too great, the cost is too high, the surrender too difficult. Our emotions scream, "Anything but that!"

As I have walked through this in my own life, I have wondered how God could be so cruel and uncaring. WHY would He give me these things only to ask for them back? But the real issue is one of control. Am I willing to give Him total control, or will I only serve Him as long as I have control? Being willingly under the control of someone else is terrifying. What might He ask? I will have to lose my kingdom, glory, pride, and righteousness. I want all He has for me; I want His kingdom, His humility, His glory, and His righteousness, but does that mean I have to surrender—lay down—my own?

Anything I cling to more than Christ is the thing that is the center of my life; it is my life. Over the years my job, my money, my family, my marriage, ministry, my hobbies, etc. all have been my life. They were what I was consumed with. But God has asked that I lay down my life—that I surrender my life to Him.

For each thing He has asked, He has given an even better version. As I gave Him my job, He gave me the job He had in mind. It was no longer my life; plus, what He gave was even better. When I gave Him control of my money, what He gave was even better. When I gave Him my marriage, the marriage He gave was even better. When I surrendered my ministry, the one He gave was even better.

In the midst of the surrender, all I could see was loss. The surrender is not based in sight. Feelings rage, fear rises, doubts scream, thoughts race, my will wants me to run. But God asks that we choose anyway, in spite of it all. When we do, we go from the reversal to the fulfillment of His promise. Instead of living in my will, I make a choice to follow His will. Instead of living in what I think, I choose the mind of Christ. Instead of trusting my feelings, I choose to walk by the Spirit. It all seems crazy. It all makes no sense. But at the point of choice, the results no longer matter and I see God. I begin to discover His presence rather than only His presents.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

"It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31

"The greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends. You are my friends if you obey me." John 15:13, 14