Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city! She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction . . . Zephaniah 3:1-2
On a recent winter hike in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, I found myself in unfamiliar territory, underdressed, contending with a recent snow. The trail was well-marked though, and the snow well-packed, so my light running shoes worked well enough . . . on the trail.
I had a specific photo opportunity I was looking for though, and as I neared it, I thought I’d get a better view if I veered off the trail. For my bushwhacking, I was rewarded with an avalanche of snow in my shoes, a fall, and a bruised butt . . . and I didn’t get the photo. Annoyed, I returned to the trail only to find the exact viewpoint I wanted another three minutes ahead . . . on the trail.
In today’s passage, Zephaniah condemned those who simply refuse to follow God’s trail and boundaries. Insisting that they live life on their terms, they inevitably produce their own misery. But I did it my way! I followed me! Zephaniah declares that this is the battle cry of those doomed to self-destruction.
The problem for many of us, is that we believe we’ll miss out on the best of life in surrendering our will. We fear that we’ll become cookie-cutter Christians who look just like everyone else. So, we see something we want, and we bushwhack off the trail, believing that we alone know what’s best for us.
Just like on my hike though, there is one who knows infinitely more than me. The trail maker knew exactly what he (or she) was doing. He knew about the photo opportunity and he knew the best way to get there. Had I simply trusted, I would have experienced all the best of the hike, without all the self-induced misery.
We fear losing ourselves in surrendering our will to God, but he is the only one who knows all and who desires what’s best for us. In surrender, we don’t lose ourselves. It is only in surrender that we discover who we truly are. Abandoning our way is simply giving up our self-inflicted misery and embracing the life and joy that God intended.