Walking in Grace: Why Half Measures Don't Work in Faith

Life is too short not to use real butter or real half-and-half. While this might be true for coffee, when it comes to our spiritual lives, living "half and half" can be torturous. The third step in recovery - and in our walk with Christ - calls us to move beyond partial commitment to complete surrender.

What Does It Mean to Surrender Everything to God?

Step three of the recovery process states: "We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him." This isn't about improvement - it's about surrender. It's the moment we stop saying "I can't" (step one) and "God can" (step two) and finally declare "I think I'll let Him."

The Problem with Half Measures

The recovery community has a saying: "Half measures availed us nothing." You cannot be a little bit married, a litttle bit pregnant, or surrender halfway. This principle runs throughout all 66 books of the Bible, starting with the very first commandment.

In Exodus 20, God declares: "You shall have no other gods before me... For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God." This isn't petty jealousy - it's protective love. Just as a spouse protects their marriage from outside interference, God's jealousy protects us from the destruction that comes from divided loyalties.

Why Does God Demand Complete Devotion?

The Nature of Double-Mindedness

Scripture consistently warns against trying to serve two masters. James describes the double-minded person as "like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind... unstable in all his ways." Jesus himself said, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other."

When we try to keep one foot in our old life while stepping into God's kingdom, we become like the church in Revelation that Jesus described as "lukewarm" - neither hot nor cold. This half-hearted approach actually makes Christ sick to his stomach.

The Impossibility of Partial Surrender

Trying to preserve your old life while following Christ is like trying to go north and south simultaneously. It's the same trap that paralyzed Private Blythe in Band of Brothers - believing he could both preserve himself and be an effective soldier. Only when he accepted that he had "already died" could he function properly.

What Does True Surrender Look Like?

Death of the False Self

Surrender isn't death to your true self - it's death of your false self. The self-centered, controlling version of you that got you into your current struggles needs to die. God loves your true self, the person He designed you to be, more than you do.

This isn't resuscitation of your old life; it's resurrection into something completely new. As Jesus said, "Seeds die so that life can grow." Every Sunday we celebrate this resurrection power available to us.

Daily Decision, Not One-Time Event

Step three begins with a decision, but it must be lived out daily. Recovery language puts it simply: "Turn it over." Not once, but day by day, hour by hour if necessary. This involves:

• Your habits and thought patterns

• Your relationships and coping mechanisms

• Your future plans and present circumstances

• Everything, not just the obvious sins

How Do We Overcome the Fear of Full Surrender?

Understanding God's Character

We surrender not to an unknown universe, but to "God as we understand Him" - the God revealed in Jesus Christ, full of mercy, grace, forgiveness, and love. He perpetually offers Himself as a living sacrifice for us.

Sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is "fire" the version of God we've invented and meet the real God we don't fully understand yet. What comes to mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you, because it impacts every other decision.

Recognizing Our Three Enemies

We battle against three forces that keep us from full surrender:

1. Our flesh - the self-centered desires that put us at the center instead of God

2. The world - systems that profit from and feed our fleshly appetites

3. Satan - who whispers that we don't have to suffer or surrender completely

What Does Jesus Say About Surrender?

The Call to Deny Yourself

Jesus made it clear: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me." The Greek word for "deny" (aparneomai) means to refuse to associate with. Jesus is saying: stop associating with your old self, the one apart from God.

This isn't about self-improvement or self-fulfillment. Jesus offers salvation from your old self and resurrection into new life. But resurrection only comes after surrender.

Getting Out of Selfie Mode

Denying yourself means getting out of "selfie mode" - that constant focus on your comfort, your story, your pain. Instead, consider others more important than yourself. Let someone else have the good parking spot. Focus on blessing others rather than being blessed.

Life Application

This week, identify the 5% of your life you've been holding back from God. Maybe it's your finances, a relationship, a habit, or your future plans. That small percentage you've kept in reserve is likely running more of your life than you realize.

Make the decision - not just mentally, but practically - to turn that area over to God's care. This might mean:

• Removing access to something that tempts you

• Having an honest conversation with someone

• Changing your environment or routine

• Finding a mentor or small group for accountability

Remember, surrender isn't weakness - it's strength under authority. And God never gets tired of you coming back to Him when you realize you've taken control again.

Questions for Reflection:

• What area of your life are you still trying to manage without God's help?

• How has your "best thinking" contributed to your current struggles?

• What would change in your daily routine if you truly believed God could handle what you're afraid to surrender?

• Who in your life could walk alongside you as you practice daily surrender?

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