Dear God, I'm sorry about the mess I've made of my life. I want to turn away from all the wrong things I've ever done and all the wrong things I've ever been. Please forgive me for it all. I know you have the power to change my life and can turn me around. Thank You, God, for getting my attention long enough to interest me in trying it your way. God, please take over the management of my life and everything about me. I am making this conscious decision to turn my will and my life over to your care and am asking you to please take over all parts of my life. Please, God, move into my heart. However you do it is your business, but make yourself real inside me and fill my awful emptiness. Fill me with your love and Holy Spirit and make me know your will for me. And now, God, help yourself to me and keep on doing it. I'm not sure I want you to, but do it anyhow. I rejoice that I am a part of your people and that you now have control of my will and my life. I thank you and I praise you.
                           Amen.
 
This prayer has meant a lot to me and many others over the years. It’s a surrender prayer. Life is so full of stresses and distractions. There are so many things that I find myself trying to put into the God shaped place in my soul. IT NEVER WORKS! There are many temptations to seek security in things of this world rather than in trusting God. LIES! We are all blind, willful and wayward in various ways. The result - the “awful emptiness” to which the author of this prayer refers.
The only thing that will ever fill the awful emptiness is what is humbly requested in this prayer – God’s love and presence (the Holy Spirit). We will never know real peace without surrender.
St. Augustine’s famous prayer is as true as true can be: “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” May we all surrender – turning our wills and lives over to God moment by moment, day by day.                                                                                                                        ~  Pastor Steve